Star Wars and Android N(irave) | Podcast 045
With most of our regular panel back on the show, join Jonathan Feist with Andrew Grush, Joe Hindy, Nirave Gondhia and returning guest Jimmy Westenberg. Star Wars once again dominates our talks, with the movie release just the day before we recorded, we talk about the promotions and tech utilized by Google and more.
Following up with our Best of Android series on the site, the final winners have been announced and we talk quickly about how we feel about the results. Finally, if you were given the chance to name the next release of Android, what would it be?
The Android Authority Podcast – discussing topics in Android every single week.
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Star Wars pre-order and soundtrack
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes update
Android N naming tease
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Joshua Vergara
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Andrew Grush
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Jonathan Feist
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Nirave Gondhia
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Recorded on December 18th, 2015 – Hosted and Produced by Jonathan Feist, on behalf of Joshua Vergara.
Gold Nexus 6P coming to India via Flipkart, pre-orders start tomorrow
Anyone can get a Nexus 6P, but very few have access to the gold variant, which was exclusively launched in Japan. The rest of us either have to wait and see if the phone is released in the USA or import it for around $2000. Is this special edition Nexus 6P really catching your eye? If you live in India you will soon be able to waltz into an online store and purchase it.
The golden Nexus 6P will become available in India, exclusively from popular online retailer Flipkart. Pre-orders begin at 12 AM IST, on December 21st. This is the 64 GB version and goes for 23,999 Rupees, which is equivalent to about $664.50 USD.
Aside from the color, everything else is identical to the regular Nexus 6P. This is a marvelous handset, packed with a 5.7-inch 2560x1440p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 3 GB of RAM, a 12.3 MP rear camera, an 8 MP front-facing camera and a 3450 mAh battery.
You can read our full review to learn all about the phone. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of preference. Will you go with the luxurious golden Nexus 6P? Or are you more of a traditional user? I happen to prefer the more modest colors.
Court says ridesharing for flights is illegal
If you had hopes that the FAA’s ban on ridesharing flights would be reversed… well, you’re in for a disappointment. A Washington, DC court has ruled that pilots need commercial licenses for these services to work. You’re a carrier in that case, not just splitting expenses like the plaintiff (Flytenow) claimed — and that means you need the “experience and credentials” to ferry passengers. If you want to fly cross-country without resorting to big airlines, you’ll have to either charter a private flight or hope that a pilot friend will take you.
[Image credit: Gordon Chibroski/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images]
Source: Bloomberg
[Deal] Save on select titles from 2K Games through January 4
Ever go into the Play Store and hear 2K Games’ pricier titles calling your name? The developer’s mobile games, which stem from console counterparts, are more expensive than your average mobile game. 2K Games’ titles on Google Play cost a few dollars compared to the usual dollar price tag. But, for the holidays, you can get select titles from 2K Games at a discount. The developer is lowering the price of games from the worlds of XCOM, Civilization Revolution, NBA, NHL, and WWE for a limited time.
- XCOM: Enemy Within ($4.99; previously $9.99)
- Civilization Revolution 2 ($4.99; previously $9.99)
- NBA 2K16 ($3.99; previously $7.99)
- NHL 2K ($.99; previously $2.99)
- WWE 2K ($2.99; previously $7.99)
The 2K Mobile Holiday Sale runs through Monday, January 4. These titles on iOS are also part of the promotion.
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Save on select titles from 2K Games through January 4
The first website went online 25 years ago today
If the web were a person, it wouldn’t have trouble renting a car from now on: the world’s first website, Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web, went online 25 years ago today. The inaugural page wasn’t truly public when it went live at CERN on December 20th, 1990 (that wouldn’t happen until August 1991), and it wasn’t much more than an explanation of how the hypertext-based project worked. However, it’s safe to say that this plain page laid the groundwork for much of the internet as you know it — even now, you probably know one or two people who still think the web is the internet.
Where are the creators in 2015? Berners-Lee is still as tightly involved with web as he ever was, directing the World Wide Web Consortium he helped create. In fact, he’s pushing hard to protect the open web against both government censorship and telecoms’ attempts to crush net neutrality. CERN’s role, however, has changed somewhat. While it’s still embroiled in networking research (specifically grid computing), it’s more often known for smashing particles.
The one point of common ground is the web itself. It’s more of a platform than a bunch of documents, and it’s now available on everything from the phone in your pocket to a display on your head. However, its core remains the same: it’s a vital, dynamic tool for sharing information around the planet. Barring surprises, you’ll likely be surfing the web by the time the first site marks its 50th birthday.
OnePlus X Champagne Edition to be available from December 22
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OnePlus recently announced its two-year anniversary, and as a part of this occasion, the company announced an all new white-and-gold-colored Champagne Edition of its mid-range premium smartphone, the OnePlus X. The Chinese smartphone brand announced the timeline and markets where it will be available.
This new avatar of the OnePlus X is a variant of the Onyx, but features white front and back, while the metal frame has been done in champagne gold. This color combination of the X was limited to China, but since it was very well-received in the country, the company decided to release it internationally.
The OnePlus X Champagne Edition will be first available in Europe for €269 starting from December 22, and will then be launched in other markets soon. To purchase this device, you’ll need a specific invite, but you can also purchase it on Tuesday in the company’s weekly open sale. However, you should note that it will be sold on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis during open sale.
“Growing as fast as we have in two years, we have a lot of areas we need to improve. As we enter our third year, a lot of our shortcomings become inexcusable. In 2016, there is no excuse for any part of OnePlus to not live up to, if not exceed, industry standards.”
– Carl Pei, Co-Founder, OnePlus
To refresh your memory, the OnePlus X is the company’s third smartphone after the OnePlus One and the OnePlus 2. You can see it as a refreshed OnePlus One with beautiful exterior design. It features a 5.0-inch 1080p AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, a microSD card slot, but a smaller 2,525 mAh battery to achieve a 6.9mm thin body.
Also Read: OnePlus Android Marshmallow update is coming in Q1 2016
It lacks 4K video recording, NFC connectivity, and Quick Charge 2.0 compatibility, but makes it up with a better camera sensor, a hybrid dual-SIM card slot that can intake a microSD card, improved build quality when compared to the OnePlus One. It features a 13-megapixel ISOCELL camera sensor with phase-detection autofocus and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. It also comes with a 3-way notification slider that debuted with the OnePlus 2.
As a part of the ongoing holiday season, all OnePlus smartphones – the OnePlus One, the OnePlus 2, and the OnePlus X – will be available for purchase readily without a need for an invite. The OnePlus X is currently priced at $249, which is the same price at which OnePlus One (16GB) is being sold. The 64GB variant of the OnePlus 2 is priced at $389, while the 16GB variant is mysteriously out of stock.
Source: OnePlus Forums
The post OnePlus X Champagne Edition to be available from December 22 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Gold-colored Huawei Nexus 6P Special Edition launched in India today
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After launching the gold-colored variant of the Nexus 6P in Japan, Huawei has launched it in India today. The Huawei Nexus 6P Special Edition is listed on Flipkart with a price tag of $663.49 (~ INR 43,999), and will be available for purchase exclusively through the e-commerce giant starting next week – December 21.
When compared to the normal variant of the Nexus 6P, which is available in silver and grey colors, the Special Edition can be differentiated only by its golden color. Moreover, it is features 64GB of internal storage, unlike the normal version of the device, which is available in both, 32GB and 64GB, storage sizes.
The Huawei Nexus 6P was launched in India by Google on October 13 along with the LG Nexus 5X. While the Nexus 6P was launched exclusively through Flipkart, the 16GB variant of the Nexus 5X was available exclusively through Amazon India. However, both these devices are now available through various online and offline retailers.
“The Huawei Nexus 6P has been well received by the Indian audience and keeping in mind the niche target group, we have introduced the Gold color Special Edition of the smartphone.”
– Allen Wang, President of Consumer Device Business Group, Huawei India.
In other news, the price of the LG Nexus 5X has been dropped to just $347 (~ INR 22,999) from its initial price of $482 (~ INR 31,990). Both, the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P, come pre-installed with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and feature 12.3-megapixel 1/2.3-inch camera sensors with laser autofocus. Both these devices were unveiled by Google on September 29.
The post Gold-colored Huawei Nexus 6P Special Edition launched in India today appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Huawei may have its own GPU and flash memory in the works to complement Kirin CPUs
It’s rare to see any company make a smartphone from their own components, with Samsung being one of the only exceptions. Most OEMs buy the processors and other pieces from manufacturers, which is part of the reason why Samsung has been so successful with their component and Exynos business. Not only does it help keep the cost of building a phone a little lower, but supply other partners to supplement their business model.
It looks like Huawei might be the next OEM to throw their hat in the ring to complement their homegrown Kirin processors. The company is exploring options to build their own GPUs and flash memory, instead of relying on companies like ARM to buy graphics chips from. That should, theoretically, help Huawei fully optimize their hardware, considering they’d be dealing with a fully in-house solution from the CPU to the GPU.
The rumors surrounding the memory chips are a little more hazy, but it seems like Huawei may design the flash memory then outsource the actual production to another company that’s already capable of mass producing flash memory for mobile phones.
Unfortunately, there’s no time frame on when we can actually expect to see this in the wild, but I’d doubt it’d be in 2016 with how big of a jump it’ll be for the company.
source: My Drivers
via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Huawei may have its own GPU and flash memory in the works to complement Kirin CPUs
Xiaomi’s YI Home Camera now available for purchase on Amazon
Earlier this month, Xiaomi partnered with Amazon to sell their YI Action Camera in the US. Apparently, that deal has gone pretty well for both companies, as Xiaomi is now also selling the YI Home Camera on Amazon, too.
The Home Camera is obviously a little different than the Action Camera, as its designed to sit in one place and act more like a monitor and less like a camcorder. The feature list on it is just as impressive, though, offering infrared night vision, full 720p video capture, 4x digital zoom, and the ability to stream directly to your smartphone. If you’re interested in using it as a security device, it also supports notifications when detecting movement. It also stores everything locally on an SD card, so it’s an extremely secure solution with no subscription fees to use it.
At just $59, this little guy looks like it offers a fantastic connected camera for your home. It’s cheaper than many alternatives and won’t cost you anything past the initial setup, and you can even get it shipped to your house by Christmas if you order it now.
Be sure to check out the companion app for it, too.
source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi’s YI Home Camera now available for purchase on Amazon
Watch SpaceX try a land-based rocket landing on December 21st
SpaceX has been understandably quiet since its last rocket exploded right after launch, but it’s hoping to make up for that failure in style. It’s planning to not only launch a Falcon 9 rocket on December 21st at 8:29PM Eastern, but attempt its first-ever ground landing with that rocket — no doubt in hopes of countering Blue Origin’s landing from a few weeks ago. Even if the touchdown fails, it’ll still be an important launch as ORBCOMM gets 11 communications satellites into orbit. Tune in to the live stream below (coverage should start at 8:05PM) and you’ll see whether or not SpaceX has better success on terra firma than it did at sea.
[Image credit: SpaceX Photos, Flickr]
Just reviewed mission params w SpaceX team. Monte Carlo runs show tmrw night has a 10 higher chance of a good landing. Punting 24 hrs.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2015
Source: SpaceX, Elon Musk (Twitter)
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