Experts say phones need a ‘bedtime mode’ to fix our sleep
We’ve all done it: you’ve gone to bed early in order to catch up on some much needed sleep, only to lay there for hours staring at your phone until you’re no longer tired. Some reports believe handsets shouldn’t get all the blame for our poor sleep schedules, but we’ve known for some time that those glowing displays aren’t helping. The best solution would be to turn devices off before going to bed, but leading sleep experts are also calling for device makers to include an automatic “bedtime mode” to help us drift off easier at night.
Via: BBC News
Source: Frontiers
Google rewards restaurant reviewers with 1TB storage
Did you know that Google has its own, homegrown rival to services like Yelp and TripAdvisor? You do now. The search engine is hoping to improve the quality of its offering by handing perks to its unpaid contributors that keep everything updated. Before, they’d simply be provided recognition for their efforts, but now the firm will hand out some pretty tasty bonuses to those who make the most effort. Every review that you write will earn you a point, as will uploading photos, adding new locations to the database, fixing old errors and answering people’s questions.
Via: Android Police
Source: Google
Flip version of Samsung’s Galaxy S6 leaks in full glory
The design and specifications of Samsung’s upcoming flip phone have surfaced in a new leak. It is clear from the images available on TENAA’s website that the high-end device bears an uncanny resemblance with the Galaxy S6. In fact, the SM-W2016 is so similar to the Galaxy S6 in design and hardware that it won’t be far fetched to call it the flip version of Samsung’s flagship phone.
Certified by TENAA last week, the SM-W2016 has a glass and metal body and a clamshell design, something that we have occasionally seen Samsung dabbling in. But this time the Korean company seems to have taken its flip phone game to a whole new level with top of the line specifications. (Clearly, there is a market for this form factor too.)
Speaking of specifications, the upcoming handset packs a 64-bit octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC, 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB ROM. The smartphone runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box and sports a 16-megapixel primary and 5-megapixel secondary camera.
As you can see in the images, the SM-W2016 features two 3.9-inch Super AMOLED displays of 1,280 x 786 pixels resolution and a numeric (T9) keypad – just like the old times. Weighing around 204 grams, the flip phone will be 120.4 mm long, 61 mm wide and 15.1 mm in terms of thickness.
Come comment on this article: Flip version of Samsung’s Galaxy S6 leaks in full glory
You can subscribe to Amazon Prime in the UK for just £59 until November 18th
If you are in the UK and have found it difficult to justify the £79 price tag to join Amazon Prime, perhaps £59 would be more tempting? If so you are in luck because Amazon is discounting its Prime service in the UK to just that (£59) for the next 3 days.
Besides getting free next-day delivery on thousands of items, an Amazon Prime subscription also gives you access to the following services:
- Prime Video, where you can watch programs such as Hand of God, Bosch, Mr. Robot, as well as some motoring show starring three idiots sometime in 2016
- Prime Music is also available to Prime subscribers, with more than a million ad-free songs to listen to
- Prime Photos gives you unlimited photo storage
- Kindle Owners Lending Library includes more than 500,000 books that you can borrow
- Early Access allows you to access Amazon’s Lightning Deals 30-minutes ahead of non-subscribers
- Prime Now offers same-day delivery in select postcodes throughout Greater London
Amazon Prime is available for £59 until November 18th, after which it returns to the usual £79. Sadly, it seems that the £59 offer is only available to new customers, current Prime subscribers aren’t able to top up their existing subscriptions with the promo.
Source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: You can subscribe to Amazon Prime in the UK for just £59 until November 18th
One T-Mobile Note 5 user reportedly just received Marshmallow
We know that Samsung is working on bringing Marshmallow to its flagship collection, including the Galaxy Note 5. The timeframe of the update rollout is less clear, though if the experience of one T-Mobile user is any indication, Samsung has already made substantial progress.
XDA-developers forums user Danon Brown reports that his Note 5 (SM-N920T) received an update to Marshmallow by accident. Danon was playing with his phone’s software and ran into a problem regarding the IMEI code. He used Samsung’s Odin software to revert his device to the stock firmware and then he checked for updates. Instead of the most recent official firmware for his device, the phone updated to build.number MRA58K.N920TUVU2DOK5.
If you’re not fluent in OTA firmware numbers, MRA58K is the number of the stock Android 6.0 firmware released by Google on September 6.
Danon has several screenshots as proof that his device has indeed received a major update.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 20%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
It’s important to note that we could be looking at a prank here, and, even if it’s legit, this build is likely not-final, so nothing is set in stone for now.
Also, the visual changes could be due to a theme being applied, though one of the screenshots shows that only the default theme was installed on the phone at the moment.
The most visible functionality change is the new permissions system – apps like Gmail or Hangouts now request access to specific capabilities when first ran.
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Unfortunately, Danon Brown didn’t provide more details about the build, but he said he would try to extract a system dump from his device. In any case, we’ll keep an eye on the thread and update you if info that is more substantial leaks out.
It wouldn’t be the first time a user receives test firmware by accident. Last December, a Vietnamese user received an early Lollipop build on his Note 3 and promptly leaked it online. Perhaps history will repeat itself?
Amazon is discounting Prime to £59 in the UK for a limited time
Amazon Prime is about to become even more enticing for UK customers. Through November 18, Brits can sign up for the service for £59, a £20 discount over the regular price.
For $99 in the US and £79 in the UK, Amazon Prime offers a slews of benefits, including free one-day (or even same-day) delivery for millions of products, access to a collection of movies and over one millions songs, one free e-book per month, and unlimited photo storage on Amazon Drive. If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, the cost of quick shipping alone could make Prime worthwhile, with everything else counting as a very nice bonus.
Another enticing feature of Amazon Prime is early access to certain deals. Prime subscribers can access the short-lived Lighting deals 30-minutes earlier than regular shoppers. Given that Lighting deals typically offer the best discounts, having Prime can definitely facilitate, if not guarantee, a bargain.
The deal on Amazon Prime is valid through November 18, at 23:59. Only new Prime customers can take advantage of the promotion, and after the first year, the regular price of £79 will come into effect.
Amazon is obviously trying to lure customers into its walled garden ahead of Black Friday, the shopping event that started in America and took over UK and the rest of the world in recent years. For this year, the retailer is promising more than 7,000 deals in the UK, in hopes of beating the record from last year, when it sold 5.5 million items on Black Friday.
If you’re wondering how early you have to wake up to get on the Black Friday bandwagon, Amazon has a helpful pointer: last year, peak shopping was recorded at 8:29am. The question is, which is more important – deals or sleep?
Amazon has offered a similar discount on its premium service in the US back in June, when a year of Prime could be had for $72. We’ll have to see whether the UK deal will make its way across the pond in time for Black Friday, but don’t hold your breath.
Happy shopping!
Microsoft delays tool that will bring Android apps to Windows
Microsoft has confirmed that a tool that lets Android apps easily run on Windows 10 is “not ready,” according Windows Central and other sources. The software giant introduced the Windows Bridge for Android, dubbed “Project Astoria,” earlier this year as part of a larger effort to help app-builders easily convert Web, iOS and Android apps to Windows. Developers complained that it still isn’t available (unlike the other apps), though Microsoft hasn’t said the project is in trouble. However, the Project Astoria forums have gone dark and Microsoft removed the Android subsystem from the last Windows 10 Mobile preview, suggesting it may be killed altogether.
Via: Windows Central, Re/Code
Binge On this! – Podcast 040
Josh Vergara leads Andrew Grush, Joe Hindy, Jonathan Feist and Nirave Gondhia through an interesting conversation on carriers, the idea was to discuss net neutrality and T-Mobile’s new video streaming perks, but we divert into looking at pricing and features. We share some of our own insights on data services in our local areas and for our international travel. From there, Josh and Nirave both have the new BlackBerry Priv in hand, come hear what they have to say about this new Android phone with a slide-out keyboard. Enjoy AA Podcast #040.
The Android Authority Podcast – discussing topics in Android every week.
Links to Podcast
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Relevant Links
T-Mobile introduces free video streaming
Blackberry Priv
Follow our Hosts
Joshua Vergara
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Joseph Hindy
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Andrew Grush
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Jonathan Feist
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Nirave Gondhia
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Recorded on November 13th, 2015 – Hosted and Produced by Joshua Vergara.
Pop-up sensor would give robot surgeons a sense of touch
Robotic surgery is no longer the stuff of science fiction. However, these robots can’t really feel their way around — the need for super-small mechanisms rules out existing approaches to touch. That’s where Harvard researchers might come to save the day. They’ve developed a pop-up sensor whose four layers collapse to a tiny footprint (just a tenth of an inch) when necessary, but expand into a 3D sensor thanks to a built-in spring. The design is extremely sensitive, too, with a light intensity sensor that can detected mere millinewtons of force.
Source: Harvard University, IEEE Sensors Journal
Amazon briefly slashes Prime to £59 ahead of Black Friday
With Black Friday and Christmas on the horizon, Amazon knows that countless Brits would appreciate next-day deliveries and other Prime-associated perks. As a result, the retailer is making it a little cheaper than usual to sign up for an annual membership — £59, rather than £79. It’s a sizeable price-drop, although the deal only runs until Wednesday (November 18th). So if you want in, better act fast. For that price you’ll gain access to Amazon’s ancillary services, including Prime Video (its Netflix equivalent), Prime Music (its Spotify equivalent) and unlimited photo storage through Cloud Drive. Even if you’re an infrequent Amazon shopper, this could make one of its “all-in” 12-month subscriptions worthwhile. It also means you can try some of its more experimental delivery services, like Amazon Pantry and Prime Now, for when your cupboards are bare and it’s too cold to brave a trip to the shops.
Source: Amazon
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