OPPO launches a near-stock Android experience to appeal to western markets
OPPO has long been an inventive player in the Android market, adding tons of customization to its own skin. In a change in direction however, they are now releasing a version of their ColorOS that brings users a stripped down version of Android that is much closer to stock.
In the markets of China and India, heavily customized operating systems are preferable, as they bring regional variations that appeal to buyers. However, the western market is increasingly irritated with excessive ornamentation and prefers a simpler, less regionally-specific Android experience. OPPO is responding to this difference in opinion with aplomb by releasing Project Spectrum, a version of ColorOS that maintains a few of the operating system’s key features while stripping away anything that may be considered bloatware.
Project Spectrum is immediately available for Find 7 and Find 7a devices, and can be downloaded here. OPPO is planning on making Project Spectrum available on many more of its devices going forward.
ColorOS is effectively a heavily modified Android ROM that has garnered a wide fanbase worldwide. The enhancements it brings to Android include imaging and audio enhancements and off-screen gestures. In response to feedback from their community, OPPO has designed Project Spectrum to maintain these key features of ColorOS,while making the devices feel much more like an un-customized version of Android.
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For those not familiar, OPPO is a leading technology brand in the global market. They’ve reached an audience that spans fifty countries and lean heavily on their philosophy of listening to consumers in a particular region and designing products tailored to their specific needs and preferences.
For now, Spectrum remains an option, but has yet to find its way to any devices out-of-the-box. If the effort is well received however, it is certainly conceivable that OPPO could eventually preload the software on handsets intended for the sale in the western market. What do you think of the move? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Starting in 2013, OPPO included ColorOS, a highly customized Android ROM, on all of its smartphones. ColorOS’ robust set of features as well as its sleek and friendly design have been well received by users around the world. But OPPO prides itself on listening to what users really want, and there is a significant group of smartphone enthusiasts, particularly in Western countries, who prefer software that stays closer to Google’s original vision for Android. It is with their enjoyment in mind that OPPO is expanding the software options for key devices.
With Project Spectrum, users will experience all the oft-cited benefits of near-stock Android: speed, lean design and faster updates. But they also won’t lose the most widely loved ColorOS features, including industry-leading imaging and audio enhancements (PureImage 2.0+, MaxxAudio) and screen-off gestures. OPPO users will have a wider spectrum of choice, and whichever path they choose will bring a full spectrum of features.
The widely loved Find 7 and Find 7a are the first devices to receive the Project Spectrum option, with a version based on Android 5.1. Find 7 and Find 7a users can directly download Project Spectrum from the OPPO Community website, and then follow a few simple steps to install it.
Versions of Project Spectrum for the R5 and R5s, also based on Android 5.1, will follow soon. Meanwhile, a version of Project Spectrum based on Android Marshmallow is expected to be released for other key devices in early 2016.
Warranties for devices sold over oppostyle.com or Amazon in Europe, which mostly serve Western customers, will not be affected if users choose to switch to Project Spectrum. Customers who bought their phones anywhere else, such as offline stores in Asia, Africa or Latin America, should consult their local resellers for more information about warranty policies.
As always, OPPO product managers expressed their encouragement for community engagement, and said that Project Spectrum will make incorporating user feedback into future software updates even easier. Meanwhile, for users who prefer a superb, hassle-free experience straight out of the box, ColorOS will continue to be supported as the default system for all OPPO phones.
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About OPPO
OPPO is a leading global technology brand dedicated to providing consumers across the Americas, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and Asia with pioneering products that never fail to inspire and excite. At OPPO we design, manufacture, and promote our own products, combining innovative technology with unique design, to ensure our customers always receive the best.
Founded in 2004, OPPO quickly proved itself in the market with its intense obsession to details. Each OPPO product encompasses a carefully selected array of attributes to specifically cater for users, combining impressive features with elegant designs. After entering the mobile phone market in 2008, OPPO quickly expanded into overseas markets a year later. OPPO mobile phones are currently available in over 20 markets and offered for online purchase in over 50 additional countries, with the brand already registered in 116 countries as of April 2015.
But OPPO doesn’t stop there. Using our passion for design and commitment to new technologies, OPPO has made a big impact in the audio-visual market by offering world-renowned, premium Blu-ray players in the United States and across Europe. For more information, please visit http://www.oppo.com/en/.
Congress approves space mining, minus regulation
American companies now have the all-clear to pursue their dreams of mining in space. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have passed the US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, a measure that lets US companies own any non-organic resources they harvest from asteroids and other space objects. This doesn’t give them sovereignty, but it does let them return to Earth without worrying that officials will confiscate their goods.
Source: Wired
Doctors can now grow human vocal chords in a lab
Used to be that if you damaged your vocal chords and needed a new set, doctors would have to shoot you full of immunosuppressants to keep your body from rejecting the cadaver-sourced replacements. Not anymore. Researchers at University of Wisconsin Medical School have published a preliminary study in the journal Science Translational Medicine wherein they successfully cultured 170 sets of vocal chords in the lab. These organs do not require the course of immunosuppressants that conventional transplants require. “We never imagined that we would see the impressive level of function that we did,” study senior author Nathan Welham told Buzzfeed.
Via: Buzzfeed
Source: Science Translational Medicine
Telegram blocked 78 ISIS messaging channels this week
As details emerged after ISIS’ coordinated, deadly attacks on Paris and Beirut last week, one name stood out in conversations about communications channels: Telegram. ISIS operatives use Telegram and other encrypted messaging services to communicate — a fact that was apparently news to Telegram. In response, this week the company blocked 78 ISIS-related channels in 12 languages. “We were disturbed to learn that Telegram’s public channels were being used by ISIS to spread their propaganda,” the company writes. Telegram found and blocked the channels based on user-submitted reports.
Source: @Telegram (Twitter)
Ralph Lauren starts testing interactive fitting rooms in NYC
Ralph Lauren isn’t afraid to experiment with new tech. Last year, the brand introduced a smart shirt for athletes, designed to measure performance with conductive silver threads and other tracking sensors. To add to this, Ralph Lauren’s announced it will begin testing interactive fitting rooms at its Polo flagship store in New York City. These smart mirrors, created by a startup called Oak Labs, are capable of recognizing a customer’s clothing pieces via RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags and displaying these on a large touchscreen. Once that happens, you can request different sizes and colors of items in your possession, which are then brought over to you by a Polo associate. From there you’re able to keep trying on different looks or simply check out — and if you don’t speak English, there’s support for Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and Portuguese.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Oak Labs
Samsung’s latest smartphone camera loves the low light
Are you sick of disappointing low light photos taken on your smartphone? Samsung might have a solution for you. At an investor conference in Korea, the telecommunications brand announced a new camera called BRITECELL that excels in darker conditions. The camera manages to achieve brighter, sharper results by getting rid of the traditional Bayer filter layout used in most smartphone cameras. This is a filter that turns pixels green and blocks light from hitting the sensors, making photos darker. Samsung has traded these green pixels for white ones that allow more light to pour through the lens. More light means brighter photos. Simple, right?
Source: 9 To 5 Google
YouTube Kids now available in more places, including Australia and Canada
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The kids-centric version of YouTube, YouTube Kids, was launched in February this year to help facilitate a younger generation who is becoming almost innately tech savvy. The concept behind it gives parents peace of mind, however the app has only been available to US parents so far. Thankfully, it’s being reported that the app is now available to several more countries now, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. According to The Guardian, the Kids app in Ireland and United Kingdom will “emphasize local channels, including famous children’s brands like Morph, Teletubbies, Wallace & Gromit, and The Magic Roundabout.”
It’s not a perfect system yet – there are plenty of concerns with the way the app works, such as the video curation which occasionally gets things wrong, and ads which are displayed before videos as they are in normal YouTube – of course, these ads have to be kid-friendly before they are shown, but showing ads to kids is always a dangerous game to play. Regardless, it’s there, and if you want to try it out, the Play Store link is below:
http://playboard.me/widgets/pb-app-box/1/pb_load_app_box.jsWhat do you think about YouTube Kids? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: The Guardian via The Verge
The post YouTube Kids now available in more places, including Australia and Canada appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Android Marshmallow for the LG G3 to become available next month
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LG recently rolled out its Android Marshmallow update to its flagship smartphone, the LG G4, so it stands to reason that the next in line to get the update would be its flagship of yesteryear, the LG G3. According to new reports, Android Marshmallow for the LG G3 is already in testing and is planned for roll-out in Poland between December 16th and 18th, with a wider roll-out if that is successful. This much was confirmed by LG Poland executive Jaroslaw Bukowski who tweeted the plans out.
LG did run into some “technical issues” when it rolled out its update to the LG G4 and it’s not clear if that’s been completely addressed yet, let alone for the LG G3. All we can do is hope that LG has gotten it right this time – we’ll have more news when the update starts hitting devices next month.
What do you think about Android Marshmallow for the LG G3 rolling out next month? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Tablaty.pl via TalkAndroid
The post Android Marshmallow for the LG G3 to become available next month appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Hands-On With the iPad Pro Apple Pencil
The Apple Pencil has technically been available for purchase since last week, but supplies of the iPad Pro accessory have been tight. Orders placed on launch day, November 11, are just starting to arrive to customers this week, and retail stores only began receiving reliable shipments starting yesterday.
We picked up an Apple Pencil yesterday afternoon and did a hands-on video to give MacRumors readers a look at the highly sought iPad Pro accessory.
The Apple Pencil is an accessory that’s unique to the iPad Pro and was built from the ground up alongside the tablet. It’s aimed at creative professionals who need a more precise tool for sketching, drawing, writing, and other tasks where accuracy is imperative.
Pressure and positioning sensors built into the Apple Pencil let it detect a range of forces, enabling pressure sensitive writing and drawing. When used with the iPad Pro, the tablet scans the signal coming from the device more than 240 times per second, resulting in the low latency levels seen in the video.
Tilt sensors in the tip of the Apple Pencil determine the orientation and the angle of the hand holding it, so it’s possible to do things like shading by using the side of the tip. Apple has designed the Apple Pencil to work alongside a finger, so it can be used simultaneously with touch gestures. It also has palm rejection technology, so you can rest your hand on the iPad Pro screen when drawing or writing.
There’s a Lightning connector at the bottom of the Apple Pencil that’s used for charging. It has a 12 hour battery life but can also charge enough for a half hour of use in 15 seconds, so it will never be non-functional in a pinch.
The Apple Pencil can be purchased from the online Apple Store for $99. Orders placed now won’t arrive until December, so customers seeking an Apple Pencil may have better luck in retail Apple Stores.
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Nexus camera app coming to other devices
One of the best things about a Nexus is the simplicity of it. Everything is stripped down to the basics. For example, the camera app doesn’t offer too many special features and just focuses on making it easy for users to point and shoot.
However, the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P shipped with an updated camera app. Usually, Google updates the Google Camera app in the Play Store as well, but it didn’t this time. Luckily, they just took a little longer to update it and it’s now available in the Play Store.
Overall, the design is even simpler than before. It still maintains all the same features, but hides the less used ones. Things like switching from photo to video mode has been made easier. Other things like the HDR, flash, and timer buttons are now moved to the top right corner. The bottom area is now only three buttons, a switch to front camera button, the capture photos button, and a review last picture taken button. Can’t get much simpler than that.
Come comment on this article: Nexus camera app coming to other devices
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