OnePlus starts pushing out OxygenOS 2.2 update for the OnePlus 2

OnePlus is in the midst of rolling out yet another update to its flagship smartphone of 2015, the OnePlus 2. This upgrade carries Version 2.2 of OxygenOS to the handset, which bundles a number of much-needed bug fixes and security patches, along with a gorgeous new festive wallpaper pack, which is guaranteed to keep you in the Christmas spirit.

Hit the break for the full changelog.

• Fixed dual SIM preference selection issues in settings
• Added NTFS and exFAT support for OTG
• Fixed Google Camera photo-sphere and panorama bugs
• Screen temperature can now be adjusted from quick settings
• Added hide search bar option in launcher settings
• Security patches
• Holiday wallpapers
• General bug fixes and optimizations

As is the norm, this upgrade is being rolled out in stages. To see if it’s ready for your device head into Settings, scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”, hit “System Updates”, then select “Check for updates”. Alternatively, you can wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to install the update.

Source: OnePlus

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[Deal] 32GB Nexus 6 heavily discounted on Amazon for a limited time

Amazon today is running some phenomenal discounts on the Nexus 6 for a limited time. Consumers are able to pick up an unlocked 32GB and/or 64GB version for $249 and $299, respectively.

While the Motorola-made Nexus 6 might be considered “last year’s technology,” it’s still an excellent smartphone with some high-end specifications under the hood. There’s no doubt that this handset will last you as long as the new Nexus 5X or even the Nexus 6P.

As a quick refresher, it’s equipped with a gorgeous 6-inch Quad HD display, a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 3220mAh battery with fast charging, and the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The US version of the Nexus 6, the exact model discounted on Amazon, is compatible with work on all major US carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. You have options with those carriers, or you could take Google’s Project Fi telecommunications service for a spin with this handset.

Whatever the case it, you’ll need to act fast, as there’s only a couple more days to get in time before Christmas!

[Amazon – 32GB Nexus 6][Amazon – 64GB Nexus 6]

Come comment on this article: [Deal] 32GB Nexus 6 heavily discounted on Amazon for a limited time

Gionee Marathon M5 Plus launched with whopping 5020 mAh battery

Gionee has launched a new smartphone in the Chinese market, the Gionee Marathon M5 Plus, that appears to be a mid-range large smartphone with one exception – a huge 5,020 mAh battery. The Gionee Marathon M5 Plus comes equipped with a 6-inch screen running at full 1080p resolution and is powered by a MediaTek processor running at 1.3 GHz. Gionee also has the Elife E8 smartphone with a higher resolution 6-inch screen that it sells in India. However, despite the much larger battery in this latest device, the Marathon M5 Plus is only 8.2 mm thick versus the Elife E8’s thickness of 9.6 mm and weighs only 206 grams versus 210 grams.

In contrast to the Elife E8, Gionee moved the fingerprint scanner to the front of the device where it is housed in a physical button located below the display. Other hardware includes 3 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage which can be expanded via microSD, and a 13 MP rear-facing camera. The Marathon M5 Plus will come with Android 5.1 Lollipop and Gionee’s own Amigo 3.1 interface running on top of that. Gionee CEO William Lu noted that the company’s software will allow the fingerprint scanner to be used not only for identification purposes, but also to encrypt content saved on the smartphone.

The Marathon M5 Plus is scheduled to start selling in China on December 25th for 2,499 Chinese Yuan (about $386 USD). There is no word on whether Gionee will try to expand to other markets with the device.

source: HDBlog.it

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[TA Deals] Pay what you want for the VPN Lifetime Subscription Bundle for a limited time

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can do wonders in keeping your internet connection secure, but more often than not, they can be way too expensive. That’s why Talk Android Deals is letting you pay what you want for a VPN subscription to AnonVPN, only for a limited time.

Here’s what you get with AnonVPN:

• Enjoy fully secure Internet at full speeds
• Bypass geological restrictions & censorship to stream anything, anywhere
• Utilize multiple server locations in the US, London, Amsterdam & Singapore
• Access your chat, email client & web apps securely on public Wi-Fi networks
• Get peace of mind that none of your personal info is stored on AnonVPN’s servers
• Enjoy the Zero Log policy

Paying what you want for AnonVPN will get you a one-year subscription to the VPN service, but if you beat the current average price of $15.99, you’ll get a lifetime subscription to AnonVPN as well as a lifetime subscription to Nonkly Disposal Email.

You’re not only benefiting yourself by purchasing a subscription to AnonVPN, but also someone else. 10% of all proceeds from this bundle are going to the Save the Children foundation, which benefits kids in the United States and all around the world.

Anyone picking a bundle up today?

[Talk Android Deals]

Come comment on this article: [TA Deals] Pay what you want for the VPN Lifetime Subscription Bundle for a limited time

Deal: The ExoPod Aluminum Selfie Stick can be yours for just $15 (39% off)

Selfie sticks are all the rage nowadays, and that’s for good reason. They make taking high quality group shots a breeze, and that’s perfect for the holidays when you’re around friends and family. If you’d like to improve the quality of your group photos or know someone who would like to, we have a deal for you. Right now, you can purchase your own ExoPod Aluminum Selfie Stick from the AA Deals Store for only $14.99!

The ExoPod Selfie Stick sticks out for good reason – there are no batteries or connectivity you need to worry about here. This selfie stick connects to your phone through the headphone jack rather than relying on Bluetooth, which has proven to be a pain point in the past. It’s lightweight, features a perfect 270-degree tilt, and is easily collapsable and extendable. Oh, and it works with any brand of Android phone out there, so you don’t need to worry about compatibility.

You can pick up your own ExoPod Aluminum Selfie Stick from the Android Authority Deals Store for only $14.99, which is 39% off the suggested retail price. Interested? Follow the link below for all the details.

Buy now from the AA Deals Store

How black wallpaper can save your Android battery

With every passing year the capability of mobile technology creeps toward its oldest and most powerful sibling, the desktop computer. Also, with every passing year, our mobile devices become more entrenched in our everyday experience, to the point where going without a smartphone for an entire day, or even a few hours, can cause significant distress amongst everyone from casual to power users. Given the importance of smartphones, one would think our most coveted devices would be able to stand the test of time, yet as any modern smartphone user knows, mediocre battery life has us often feeling like a junkie desperately trying to (power)source their next fix. Alas, we have yet to discover the magic bullet that will ultimately put our battery woes to rest. In the meantime all we can do is feverishly optimize our paltry battery life to the best of our ability.

• Best portable battery packs
• Quick charge 3.0 explained

In the past we’ve shared various tips with our readers on how to get the most out of their batteries. This includes taking measures such as turning off unused connectivity options, utilizing power saving modes, and more. When it comes to optimizing your display to use less energy, one common adage is that using a black background can help you use less power. What’s the truth behind this, if any? And does it apply to all display types? Short answer: yes this is sound advice, but no, it doesn’t apply to everyone. The reason why using black backgrounds isn’t a universally good idea is that there are two primary types of display technology found in most smartphones out there: Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED), and these two standards handle color very differently.

See also: AMOLED vs LCD: differences explained166

The more black you display when utilizing an AMOLED panel, the more power savings you get.

While AMOLED is the latest and greatest display technology (aside from plastic OLED) LCD is the most common and well established modern display technology due to cost and age. The more black you display when utilizing an AMOLED panel, the more power savings you get. In general, displays work by emitting varying degrees of light through a pixel. Each pixel is made up of sub pixels that filter light through one of the three primary colours: red, green and blue (some manufacturers have more than three sub pixels). The amount of light that passes through these shaders determines the colour of light emitted from each pixel. Unlike LCD panels, which require a backlight, or light emitting diode (LED), in order to pass light through each pixel, the pixels that make up AMOLED panels are their own source of light. Essentially, when a pixel is displaying black on an AMOLED panel it is entirely off. To emit colour, or white, it must turn on and thus consumer power. This is why AMOLED panels are perfect for features like ambient display, as most of the pixels are not consuming power, unlike LCDs, where the entire LED backlight must turn on no matter how many pixels are actually being utilized.

Ok, to optimize the battery use of an AMOLED panel use black backgrounds and themes wherever possible. Got it. How about LCDs? The answer to this question is also simple, though the rationale is far more complicated. Surprisingly, white (or really any bright color) is actually the most power efficient — though marginally so.

LED-LCDs are made up of five layers: a polarizer, liquid crystal, transistors, another polarizer, and a backlight. LCDs use polarization filters and electrical current to block varying degrees of light passed through the liquid crystal layer by the LED. Light is a wave that oscilates in every direction from the LED backlight. A polarization filter only allows light that oscillates on a particular plane to pass through. A horizontal polarizer allows light that oscilates on a zero degree plane to pass through, a vertical polarizer does the same except on a 90 degree plane. Essentially two perpendicular polarization filters will block all light; if you look through two perpendicular polarized sunglasses all you would see is black.

One of the advantages to an AMOLED display is that you can optimize the colors better to save battery life.

The two polarization filters found within an LCD are perpendicular, thus they block all light emitted by the LED. To allow light to pass through the second polarizer a layer of liquid crystal is sandwhiched in between the two filters. The type of liquid crystal used in LCDs is a twisted nematic liquid crystal that has a natural helix structure similar to DNA. As light passes through this crystal it is rotated in ways that allow it to pass through the second polarizer. In order to fine tune the amount of light that passes through shader sub pixels current is applied to the nematic liquid crystal by a thin layer of transistors. As current is applied to the crystal its helix shape untwists, which prevents it from rotating light waves and allowing them to pass through the second polarizer. The more current you apply to a nematic liquid crystal the more it untwists, thus the more light that is blocked.

Long story short, in order to create black, an absence of light, you have to completely untwist the liquid crystal by applying the greatest amount of current, which utilizes the greatest amount of power. Therefore, a brighter color, such as white, is actually more efficient in this case. In practice, the difference in battery consumption for LCD displays is fairly negligible though.

Well, it wasn’t easy, but we have the answer(s). The important takeaways from this analysis are: black uses noticeably less power on AMOLED displays, AMOLED displays use less power than LCDs, and bright colors are the most efficient for an LCD panel. Hopefully this knowledge will help you extract every last bit of life out of your precious phone.

Next – Best Android phones

*post written by Lucius Bossio*