Need for Speed: No Limits – Six Reasons to Tear Up Asphalt on SHIELD Tablet K1
Now available to download, Need for Speed: No Limits is a thrilling entry in EA’s longstanding arcade racing series that’s been visually overhauled for NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet K1. Here are six major reasons why it’s worth checking out on SHIELD.
It lets you be a little bad
No Limits opens with a street race featuring a stolen car and subsequent police chase. For the most part your character can be seen as the good guy, racing against rival crews who aren’t always the most noble creatures, but in the end seeing as you’re taking part in high speed illegal street races, weaving in and out of the traffic and winding up the police, it’s fair to say this game is darkly thrilling.
It’s free
No Limits is free. If you own a supported Android device like SHIELD Tablet K1 you can download it right now and get racing. While in-app purchases are available, the career mode is suitably well structured so that if you’re prepared to do a bit of grinding to build up your resources you can race, tune and mod your way through to victory free of charge.
The racing is insane
Considering you don’t have a gas pedal (all you need to do is steer) being a successful driver requires quite a bit of skill. The secret is your nitrous meter. Swipe up to use your nitrous and you’ll be pushed back in your seat as you accelerate. It soon wears off though and only builds back up gradually. That is, unless you draft off other racers, drift in the corners and get air with jumps. By driving skillfully and employing all these methods your nitro builds up more quickly and you can deploy it more often.
The SHIELD version is awesome
NVIDIA has worked closely with the game’s developers to ensure that the SHIELD Tablet K1 version is the definitive No Limits experience. With multi-layer road effects, unique particle system, shadow-mapping exclusive to K1 and cinematic camera effects, it’s a visually stunning experience on SHIELD Tablet K1.
It’s huge
Here are a few numbers for you. 900. That’s how many race events, overall, are crammed into the game. 38 is how many unique courses you get to race on. There are six classes each containing eight different event types such as Blockade in which you have to win your race despite a heavy police presence, or Delivery which turns everything on its head and forces you to get to the finish without getting a single scratch on your car. The variety is impressive.
The cars, the cars!
Here’s another number for you… 30. That’s how many licensed supercars are included from BMW M4s, through Toyotas, Porsches, right up to the big boys including Ferrari, Koenigsegg CCX, McLaren 650s and a Lamborghini Aventador. Through smart racing, accumulating cash and shopping on the black market you can upgrade the cars in a variety of ways, modding the engine, gearbox, ECU and so on to squeeze the maximum performance out of them. It’s a car aficionado’s dream come true.
You can download Need for Speed: No Limits from Google Play today for free.
T-Mobile giving Verizon customers 12 months of free Hulu for the holidays
T-Mobile is on a never-ending quest to court customers away from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, and that’s incredibly apparent when you take a look at all the holiday promotions the Un-carrier has launched so far this season. The carrier announced that it would give an extra $200 bill credit to Sprint customers who switch for a limited time, only a few days after giving the gift of unlimited data to all its Simple Choice postpaid customers. Then T-Mobile announced it would give AT&T customers up to 50% off some of the nicer accessories on T-Mobile’s website. Fast forward to today, and T-Mo is finally going after Verizon, the United States’ largest carrier.
As part of its Un-carrier Unwrapped promotion, T-Mobile has announced that it will give Verizon customers 12 full months of Hulu streaming when they switch to the Un-carrier, no trade-in required. This promotion is available from Friday, December 11th through Thursday, December 17th. After you sign up for one of T-Mobile’s postpaid Simple Choice plans, you’ll get a text message with a $100 Hulu subscription gift code, good for 12 months of Hulu’s Limited Commercials plan.
In addition, Verizon customers can also save up to 50% on many of the accessories on T-Mobile’s website. A full list of discounted products can be found here.
See also: 10 best video streaming apps for Android
This is certainly great news for Verizon customers who have been thinking about switching. Not only do you get a free year of Hulu, you can also stream all of your favorite Hulu shows for free without using up any mobile data thanks to T-Mo’s recently-announced Binge On feature. If you’re a Verizon customer and want to switch but feel like you’re stuck in a contract, don’t worry – Big Red customers can also take advantage of T-Mobile’s Carrier Freedom that will get them up to $650 per line to cover Verizon’s ETFs or balance owed on their smartphones.
Interested? Follow the source link below for all of the details.
Verizon sponsored data program reportedly will start in Q1 2016
Despite the fact that many Net Neutrality advocates speak against the practice, the idea of sponsored data seems to be gaining traction. For those that aren’t aware, sponsored data means an ISP or carrier lets its users go to a web-based service (or site) without affecting any data caps in place, with the service/site being the one who pays for the privilege. AT&T has testing out such a program for a while now, but it seems Verizon is getting ready to test out a sponsored data program as well.
See also: Best Verizon Android phones (December 2015)
The new program was confirmed to Re/Code by Verizon Executive VP Marni Walden, who said they would roll out such a program in a “larger commercial way” in the first quarter of 2016. At least initially, the program will be limited to just a small number of partners but Verizon will open the door to more sponsors next year sometime.
If you’re wondering how this differs from T-Mobile’s approach, T-Mobile lets users access certain music and video services without taking away from data, but T-Mobile foots the bill and isn’t profiting directly from this control. T-Mobile also says just about any music or video service can get in on the program if they contact T-Mobile and follow the steps necessary to enable it.
For Verizon customers looking for more data without having to pay for it, such a program could really make a difference. But should carriers have this much power over what services/sites its customers are utilizing? Let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments below.
Chromecast Audio finally gains multi-room streaming, Hi-Res audio support
Alongside the second-generation Chromecast, Google introduced the Chromecast Audio – a handy device used to turn your normal speakers into connected audio devices. One of the most interesting features Google announced with Chromecast Audio was that users would have the ability to to link multiple Chromecast Audio devices together, making it easy to play the same song in every room at the same time. Unfortunately the device came to market without this feature, leaving early adopters wondering when the streaming device would get updated. We’re happy to report that your wait is finally over – Google has just announced an update to Chromecast Audio that brings multi-room streaming and a few other nice features to the device.
Setup for multi-room streaming is pretty easy. Just connect and setup a Chromecast Audio device on whichever speakers you’d like, then create a group using the latest version of the Chromecast app. You’ll be able to cast to the group the exact same way you’d cast to a single Chromecast device. Awesome, right?
See also: Chromecast 2015 and Chromecast Audio Review
That’s not all, Chromecast Audio is also gaining Hi-Res audio support, which will bring support for up to 96KHz/24-bit lossless audio playback.
Your Chromecast Audio devices should be updated in the background on Google’s end, but you’ll still need to download the latest version of the Chromecast app to get this functionality. The update is live now, so follow the Play Store link below to grab the latest version of the app.
Chromecast Audio adds Hi-Res audio and synchronous music
One of the best things about buying a product from Google is you know you’re going to get updates. Google’s most recent Chromecast addition, the Chromecast Audio just got support for Hi-Res audio playback and synchronous music.
The Chromecast Audio is an affordable device($35) designed to enable streaming to existing speakers from a phone, tablet or laptop. The device enables WiFi streaming for speakers with RCA, 3.5mm, or optical inputs. It is much easier than traditional Bluetooth pairing, because you can simply tap the Cast button from within music apps if both devices are on the same network.
Hi-Res audio support
Much of today’s streamed music is digitally compressed to minimize data usage. The resolution suffers when audio files are compressed, and there are many who find that unacceptable. HiFi audio is what differentiates Tidal from standard music streaming services, as it has up to 10 times more detail than traditional music streaming services. Today, Google is rolling out high-resolution audio support, which gives you even higher quality music playback using Chromecast Audio. With support of up to 96KHz/24bit lossless audio playback, you can enjoy higher-than-CD-quality audio on your existing high fidelity audio equipment.
The “S” word(streaming) is no longer unmentionable to audiophiles with Chromecast’s latest Hi-Res audio support.
Synchronous Music
At $35 the Chromecast Audio is a great way to stream music to multiple rooms. Before today, if you had more than one Chromecast Audio, you could not stream to more than one room at a time. Now wherever you have a Chromecast connected, Multi-room support allows for synchronous music across your entire household.
Google products are constantly evolving with new features and helps you get more value from your product. If you haven’t checked out the Chromecast Audio, I highly recommend it.
You can find the Chromecast Audio at the Google Play Store.
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Chromecast Audio gets support for multi-room playback
Google has finally started pushing out an update through the official Chromecast application which transports multi-room streaming for Chromecast Audio. In addition to the play tunes in all rooms facility, the upgrade also carries support for 96KHz/24bit lossless audio playback — so your music will sound clearer and crisper than ever.
Hit the break for the full changelog.
- Introducing Hi-Res audio support:Close your eyes and imagine the musician is playing in the room. Today we’re rolling out high-resolution audio support, which gives you even higher quality music playback using Chromecast Audio. With support of up to 96KHz/24bit lossless audio playback, you can enjoy higher-than-CD-quality audio on your existing high fidelity audio equipment.
- Blast the same song in every room: Now you can easily fill every room in your home—bedroom, kitchen, living room, or wherever you have a Chromecast Audio connected—with synchronous music. Multi-room lets you group Chromecast Audio devices together so you can listen to the same song on multiple speakers.
To install the update on your Android-powered smartphone simply open up the Play Store, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on Chromecast, then tap the update button. Alternatively, you can hit the link below to initiate the download on your handset from the Web.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Chromecast Audio gets support for multi-room playback
Google Pixel C team holds Q&A session on Reddit
Google added a new device to the Google Store this week, the Pixel C, an apparent mashup between an Android tablet device and a Chromebook. With a price tag of $499.99, many people are trying to figure out whether the device is something they want to invest in. Part of that decision-making process is trying to understand just what the device is supposed to be and where Google sees it in the future. To help address some of these issues, members of the team behind the Pixel C engaged in a question and answer session via Reddit.
The participants in the Q&A session included:
- Hiroshi Lockheimer, Senior Vice President Android and ChromeOS;
- Andrew Bowers, Director for Consumer Hardware;
- Glen Murphy, Director of UX for Android and Chrome;
- Kevin Tom, Product Manager for Pixel C;
- Puneet Kumar, Software Director for Pixel C; and
- Benson Leung, Software Engineer.
One topic that came up and was addressed was the naming chosen for the device. The team explained the “C” stands for “Convertible” while the “Pixel” part of the name was selected because Google designed the hardware themselves instead of working with a partner. Nexus is the name used for partner designed hardware as opposed to what Google comes up with in-house.
The team did reveal that some features that many have noted should be present in a device that is so focused on productivity are in the works. For instance, the “OK Google” hotword activation is in the works. Likewise, the team is working on support for DisplayPort over USB-C technology.
Although some manufacturers have figured out how to do split screen on their devices, such capability is not present in the Pixel C. The team said they wanted it to be part of the device at launch, but for now they will have to wait for Android N which is expected to support split screen as part of the operating system. The team also noted they are aware of the problem many users have with developers not designing apps to take advantage of the larger tablet screen.
Overall, it seems the team is aware that putting Android on a convertible tablet device has introduced some limitations for what seems to be the target audience of productivity workers. That awareness should lead to improvements down the road for those who are patient. The question will remain whether it is worth the investment now.
source: Reddit
Come comment on this article: Google Pixel C team holds Q&A session on Reddit
Google Photos updated with compatibility for shared albums
Google has now updated its official Photos application to bring support for shared albums. Once you’ve invited someone to browse your gallery, they will have the facility to not only upload their own images, but delete pictures you’ve uploaded to the collection, too. Those who have subscribed to a particular album will receive notifications whenever a new photograph is added, and will be afforded the ability to save it to their main library if they wish.
Check it out in action below:
Click here to view the embedded video.
Installing the upgrade couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is open up the Play Store on your Android-powered smartphone or tablet, then toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen and select My Apps. Locate Photos and tap on it. Once its respective application profile has loaded, hit the update button. Alternatively, if you’d rather initiate the upgrade from your computer, you can simply hit the download button below.
Come comment on this article: Google Photos updated with compatibility for shared albums
PSA: You can now use Inbox for Desktop to compose emails to mailto: links
Here’s some good news for Inbox users. Starting today, you’ll be able to set the client as your default option for composing emails to addresses clicked on in Google Chrome. Getting set up is simple. Just head on over to inbox.google.com, click on the sharing symbol to the right of the URL and select allow from the dropdown list.
Are you going to be taking advantage of this feature? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.
Come comment on this article: PSA: You can now use Inbox for Desktop to compose emails to mailto: links
Samsung Pay stores your gift cards, lets you buy new ones
Samsung Pay was already handy for using the company’s line of Galaxy phones to take care of mobile payments via credit and debit cards. Making good on its promise ahead of the holidays, Samsung added the ability for you to use those gift cards you’re sure to receive in the weeks to come. Similar to the bank and credit card methods that Samsung Pay already employs, the app will allow you to load those gift cards to keep your pockets free of extra clutter on your next shopping trip.
The company says 50 retailers have opted in so far, with the likes of Babies”R”Us and Toys”R”Us, Bass Pro Shops, Domino’s, eBay, GameStop, Nike, Regal Entertainment Group and Staples all on board. You can also buy and share gift cards with your pals thanks to the app’s built-in store. If you forget to grab a present before heading to a birthday party, you can nab a gift card and send it to your friend’s Samsung handset. While Samsung’s biggest rival in mobile payments, Apple Pay, does allow coupons and rewards cards, Cupertino doesn’t yet support gift cards.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Seth Wenig]
Source: Samsung (Business Wire)
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