Google helping speed development with new Instant Run feature in Android Studio 2.0 Preview
Google is getting ready to update Android Studio to version 2.0. One of their first steps with that update is rolling out a preview version of Android Studio 2.0 starting today. Announced at the Android Developer Summit today, Google says new features coming to Android Studio 2.0 will help “dramatically” improve workflow for developers. Two of the new features they are highlighting out of the gate include a new Instant Run feature and a new GPU Profiler.
The Instant Run feature provides a way for developers to quickly see the impact of changes to code by providing a nearly instant preview in an emulator or on a device. Developers merely need to go in to their settings to turn on the new feature to take advantage of it. The new GPU Profiler will provide developers with information about GL State and Commands and they will be able to walk through GL Framebuffer and Textures as their app is running code.
The new Android Studio 2.0 preview is available starting today through the canary channel. Google recommends running this version in parallel with the current version if you want to check it out.
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source: Android Developers
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[TA Deals] The Skeye Hexa Drone makes a perfect stocking filler at just $45
It’s getting to that time of year where the topic of Christmas presents begins to rear its ugly head. Deciding what to buy little Johnny, Maggie, or even Johhny Senior for that matter, can be an exercise in frustration. Luckily, Talk Android Deals has a great little stocking filler for you to consider in the form of the Skeye Hexa Drone that should keep them enthused for hours. Priced at just $45, the Skeye Hexa Drone is a great choice for both beginners and experts alike.
Click here to view the embedded video.
As you can see in the video above, the Skeye Hexa Drone is easy to pilot, with its six propellers giving it extra stability. With a 164-foot range, and the ability to perform outrageous stunts, the Hexa Drone will prove to be great fun. It’s ready to fly out of the box and fits into the palm of your hand, so you can take it almost anywhere, and it’s bright LED lights allow you to check its navigation when flying at night. And, if the recipient is the type to quickly break things, fear not. The Skeye Hexa Drone is made out of a durable, lightweight plastic and comes with 6 replacement blades. Other features include:
- A three-level adjustable controller sensitivity for beginners, mid-level users & experts
- A six-axis flight control system & adjustable gyro sensitivity
- Aerobatic functionality for flipping through the air
- Protection against crashes w/ propeller bumpers
Reduced from $69 to just $45, the Skeye Hexa Drone comes with free international shipping, although the deal does finish in three days time. All you have to do is click the Talk Android Deals link below to place your order.
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Square announces a new card reader that supports NFC and EMV chips
Square today announced that it’s getting ready to sell a new card reader that supports NFC payments and EMV chips found in credit and debit cards. Square is in the testing process with the new reader, partnering with 100 small businesses across the US.
While the new card reader isn’t available to the public just yet, those interested in getting the upgraded hardware can reserve their own unit for just $49. For those planning on ordering, keep in mind that you’re not charged for the reader straight away, but only when shipping begins.
The new hardware will work seamlessly with the Square Stand Hub as well as the company’s existing mobile application.
If you already have a Square reader and are looking at upgrading, it’s probably not worth the investment in a small city. However, if you’re operating a business in larger, more populated locations, that $49 will pay for itself soon enough, especially with the rise of mobile payment systems like Samsung Pay, Android Pay, and even Apple Pay.
source: Square
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U.S. Cellular knocks phones to just a penny for Black Friday
As we approach the most popular shopping day of the year, another carrier has specified the deals going on for Black Friday. U.S. Cellular is lowering prices, bundling gift cards, and offering extra data to celebrate Black Friday this year. Customers new and old will both have something to look for from U.S. Cellular.
Here are U.S. Cellular’s deals for Black Friday:
- Samsung Galaxy S6, LG G4, or LG G Pad 8.0 for $0.01 with a two-year contract; up to 50% off compatible accessories
- 20% off all accessories
- Switch to U.S. Cellular to get $400 in promotion cards and 50% more data than Verizon and AT&T at the same price
- Existing customers get an additional 2GB of data to share through the end of 2016
- Refer a friend to U.S. Cellular that switches and receive $50
The carrier’s Black Friday promotion starts at 8:00AM and ends at 12:00PM or while supplies last on November 27.
U.S. CELLULAR HOLIDAY DEALS INCLUDE DOOR BUSTERS ON SAMSUNG AND LG DEVICES FOR BLACK FRIDAY
CHICAGO (Nov. 23, 2015) – Early rising shoppers who visit a U.S. Cellular store or www.uscellular.com on Black Friday can grab unmatched deals on three of the most popular wireless devices. The Samsung Galaxy S 6, LG G4 and LG G Pad 8.0 will all be a penny on Black Friday when customers sign a two-year agreement. Deal seekers can also pick up accessories to go along with their smartphone or tablet, with some up to 50 percent off. Most U.S. Cellular stores will open at 8:00 a.m., and the door buster deals will only be available until 12:00 p.m. and while supplies last.
“At U.S. Cellular, we are all about providing the best wireless experience by offering the latest devices, value-packed plans, and a high-quality network with national coverage that keeps our customers connected to their friends and family, especially during the holiday season,” said Joe Settimi, vice president of marketing for U.S. Cellular. “During this joyful time of year, we encourage everyone to visit our stores and talk to our associates to check out all of the great deals and experience all of the value that comes with being a U.S. Cellular customer.”
U.S. Cellular has holiday specials for new and existing customers. Through the rest of the year, shoppers who switch to U.S. Cellular will receive $400 in promotional cards, along with 50 percent more data than Verizon and AT&T for the same price, when they choose U.S. Cellular’s installment pricing on Shared Connect plans. Current customers who visit a U.S. Cellular retail store prior to Thanksgiving will receive an additional 2GB of data to share until the end of the year and 20 percent off of any accessory purchase. In addition, if a current customer refers a friend to U.S. Cellular, and they choose to activate a smartphone on a Shared Connect plan, they both will receive $50.
Data and Switcher Offer requires Retail Installment Contract, Shared Connect Plan, $25 Act. Fee, Device Protection+ and Smartphone trade-in. $400 = $150 Promo Card instantly at point of sale + $250 Promo Card via mail within 6–8 weeks. U.S. Cellular® Promo Cards issued by MetaBank,® Member FDIC. Valid for purchase in-store or online. Doorbuster offers require new 2-year agreement, Shared Connect Plan, $40 Act. Fee and credit approval required. Valid on 11/27/15 until noon while supplies last. Limited promotional quantity available. Limit 1 Tablet and Smartphone per customer. Additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. See uscellular.com for details. 4G LTE service provided through King Street Wireless, a partner of U.S. Cellular. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.
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Verizon offering up to $500 on select Black Friday deals
Verizon has largely resisted a lot of the changes going on in the wireless carrier industry, but resistance is futile when it comes to Black Friday. If you are interested in switching to the carrier and are willing to get a phone from a small selection of options, this Friday could be the day to do it. Verizon will be offering deals totaling up to $500 in credits and gift cards.
To take advantage of everything being offered, consumers have to be willing to purchase a Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, or a DROID Turbo 2. On these devices, Verizon will give buyers a $200 credit on the cost of the device. Assuming one has a device to trade-in from another carrier, consumers can also get a $300 Verizon gift card. However, it does appear the $300 gift card offer depends on the device being traded in and not all devices will even qualify for any gift card, so be sure to ask questions if you hit a Verizon store to check out these deals.
In addition to these offers, Verizon is offering $100 off the price of an LG V10, a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ or a Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Other devices may also qualify for a $100 discount as Verizon appears to be making this offer available on any Android phone that retails for at least $400. Consumers who are switching can qualify for the same “up to” $300 gift card offer.
Verizon is also planning to offer a variety of other devices for sale on Black Friday, like a Fitbit Charge for $89.99, a UE MEGABOOM bluetooth speaker for $249.99, Beats Solo on-ear headphones for $249.99 or a Nest Cam for only $169.99. For more details on all of Verizon’s Black Friday offerings, hit their countdown page at http://www.verizonwireless.com/black-friday/.
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Will the microSD card slot return for Samsung’s Galaxy S7?
In 2015, Samsung’s flagship experienced a lot changes. The company ditched plastic, faux leather, and other funky materials for premium metal and glass. The design of the Galaxy S6 is unlike anything Samsung has ever released, especially considering it lacks a microSD card slot. Samsung instead told consumers that they’d have to either play within the limits of their device’s internal storage or look to the cloud for help. Even the most loyal consumers were disheartened by Samsung’s decision and forced themselves to either keep their current device or search for an alternative. To those people, there is now good news.
Samsung is reportedly considering bringing back the microSD card slot for the Galaxy S7.
HDblog.it, through “trusted sources,” claims that the company is eyeing the small-yet-important component’s return for next year’s flagship.
The upcoming Galaxy S7 Edge was also mentioned in the report. Samsung will no longer need a Plus variant of the handset as the Galaxy S7 Edge is said to have a 5.7-inch display. Evan Blass, who penned a post with VentureBeat, checked and confirmed with his sources that there is no clear model numbers within Samsung that indicate a Galaxy S7 Edge+ is coming. Where the handset will truly differentiate from any predecessor is in its display shape. In addition to curved edges on the left and right sides of the display, the top and bottom of Galaxy S7 Edge+ is said to curves as well.
Source: HDblog.it
Via: VentureBeat
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Apple Pencil Used as Weight Scale, Synthesizer and 3D Image Editing Controller
While the Apple Pencil is designed as a sketching tool for creative professionals, MacRumors reader Simon Gladman has created three Swift demo apps that show the accessory being used for three unconventional purposes — as a weight scale, controlled synthesizer and 3D controller for image editing.
PencilScale
PencilScale, based on Goodman’s Plum-O-Meter, is an experimental app that uses a homemade harness to turn the Apple Pencil into an electronic scale that is highly sensitive, but not incredibly accurate.
The experiment works by subtracting the touch’s force from a base weight, which is “set as the current touch force when the ‘zero’ button is pressed,” and multiplying it by 140 for a very rough weight in grams.
PencilSynth
PencilSynth is an AudioKit-powered synthesizer that can be controlled by the Apple Pencil depending on its orientation and position.
- Apple Pencil’s horizontal position on the screen controls frequency
- Apple Pencil’s vertical position on the screen controls the modulating multiplier
- Apple Pencil’s altitude angle controls the carrier multiplier
- Apple Pencil’s azimuth angle controls the modulation index
PencilController
PencilController is an experimental image processing app that uses the Apple Pencil as a controller for the fine setting of parameters on Core Image filters.
The demo has three image filtering modes:
- Hue/Saturation – Apple Pencil’s azimuth angle controls hue and its altitude angle controls the saturation
- Brightness/Contrast – Apple Pencil’s altitude angle along North/South controls contrast and the angle along West/East controls brightness
- Gamma/Exposure – Apple Pencil’s altitude angle along North/South controls exposure and the angle along West/East controls gamma
Gladman explains that “the app uses a spring loaded pattern, so the user needs to hold down one of the mode keys in the bottom left of the screen to stay in the filtering mode.”
The source code for all three projects is available on GitHub.
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The best Thanksgiving kitchen tools and tableware
This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer’s guide to the best things for your home. Read the full article here.
Preparing a Thanksgiving feast can be a pretty hectic experience, but the right kitchen gear can make it a breeze. Instead of fretting over dinner, wouldn’t you rather spend time with family and friends? At The Sweethome, we spend dozens of hours on each of our reviews to find the best gear for all parts of your life. Here are eight of our favorite kitchen-oriented recommendations to help you host like a pro and make the most of Thanksgiving.Slideshow-342148
This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
Square’s new reader arrives to accept mobile payments and chip cards
We’ve known about Square’s new NFC-friendly reader for a while, and now the point-of-sale gadget is available for use. Starting today, 100 merchants in “select cities” (quite a few, actually) will begin accepting NFC-driven payments like Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay and those newfangled chip credit/debit cards. The reader is a square pad (of course) separate from the company’s usual POS setups and sliding readers, allowing you to hover your phone or insert a card to complete purchase. The unit is wireless and pairs with either a countertop system or Square’s free mobile app to handle the transactions. However, the new reader itself will set businesses back $49 in order to get started. For the initial rollout, look for the device at businesses in the following cities: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Seattle, St. Louis Tampa, and Washington, D.C.
Disney’s streaming service arrives in the UK
Right on schedule, Disney has launched its own streaming service in the UK. For £9.99 per month you’ll gain access to many of the company’s animated classics, such as The Lion King, Aladdin and The Jungle Book, as well as live-action hits such as Mary Poppins and Pirates of the Caribbean. A selection of Pixar films are also available, including Toy Story, Cars and Monsters Inc. It’s not the full Disney library, but the company says more titles will be added over time. And yes, that includes Frozen, which will be arriving next spring.
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