Snapchat set for new features, including audio/video calling and improved interface
Snapchat is quickly growing as one of the most popular social media services in the world, but it looks like the developers want to try and tackle some other markets while they’re at it. Some new code was found in the Android Snapchat application that hints at some new features, including audio and video calling, that would put the time-sensitive photo sharing app in direct competition with things like Skype and Facebook Messenger.
Snapprefs, a customizable Xposed module for root users, is an extension that gives the Snapchat app some extra functionality. The development team behind it dug around in the latest Snapchat app and found some of these new features tucked away, ready to be rolled out to the masses. This includes the previously mentioned audio and video calling, but also includes some interface tweaks that show if the other party is listening to or watching your messages. There are also stickers, because what’s a social media messaging service without a ton of weird stickers?
Snapchat hasn’t announced any of these features as official, but if they’re already mostly present in the app, it’s very likely that they’ll be rolled out to everyone soon.
source: XDA
via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Snapchat set for new features, including audio/video calling and improved interface
SK Telecom and Cisco will be creating another platform for the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things is a growing market of connected devices, ranging from light switches to refrigerators to anything else you can imagine that could be controlled by a smartphone or tablet. But like any new technology or idea, right now it’s a pretty fragmented landscape with tons of different manufacturers trying to push their own stuff as the “standard,” which obviously causes some compatibility issues.
SK Telecom and Cisco are teaming up to create a more simplified platform for these things, marking a pretty big partnership between the South Korean network giant and the American equipment manufacturer.
The thought behind this partnership is that SK Telecom can provide excellent know-how when it comes to getting things connected to the internet, and Cisco can use their expertise to actually build equipment, like sensors an modules, to be used in those devices.
This platform, once established, will allow devices to analyze and process data locally, as opposed to having to send things to a cloud server somewhere. This seems counter-intuitive to the Internet part of the Internet of Things, but it’s hard to argue about how much more efficient it will be.
This likely won’t be the first partnership we see with these kinds of devices, as the market is expected to grow dramatically over the next several years.
source: Korea Times
Come comment on this article: SK Telecom and Cisco will be creating another platform for the Internet of Things
Huawei’s Honor 5X launches in Europe on February 4th
The Honor 5X is the first Huawei-branded handset to launch in the States, bringing an impressive array of hardware for the measly price of $199. Here in Europe, we are still waiting for the Honor 5X to become available. Now, at least, we now know that Huawei’s latest budget-busting handset will launch on February 4th at an event in Munich, Germany.
Hardware-wise, the Honor 5X features a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of RAM, rear fingerprint scanner, 3,000mAh battery, and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Huawei’s EMUI 3.1 skin on top. An update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow has been confirmed, although no ETA has been given as yet. It will be interesting to see how Huawei prices the handset in Europe, considering that n the States, the Honor 5X is priced at $199, which is around £139. If the Honor 5X has taken your fancy, Huawei’s vMall website has been sending out emails containing a £20 discount code for the handset when it becomes available.
It will be interesting to see how Huawei prices the handset in Europe, considering that n the States, the Honor 5X is priced at $199, which is around £139. If the Honor 5X has taken your fancy, Huawei’s vMall website has been sending out emails containing a £20 discount code for the handset when it becomes available.
We don’t have long to wait until the launch event in Munich, and we’ll be there covering the event that begins at 3:30 PM GMT, bringing you the details as they are announced.
Come comment on this article: Huawei’s Honor 5X launches in Europe on February 4th
Samsung’s Marshmallow updates pushed back again, this time to February
We’ve been waiting and waiting for something official from Samsung about when we can expect some of their flagship devices to finally be updated to Android 6.0, and while there’s still nothing official from the company, a leaked roadmap seems to indicate that the first round of upgrades should happen in February. Keep in mind that the first set of leaks said updates should’ve happened back in December, so take everything with a grain of salt.
The first phase of devices, includes all of Samsung’s 2015 flagships (Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, Note 5) and the Galaxy S5, Note 4 and Note Edge. The Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ will lead the way in February with the Marshmallow update, with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge seeing their updates in March. The GS6, Note 4, and Note Edge will round things out in March or April.
According to the leak, all of these updates for the devices have already been approved by Samsung, so all that’s left is to get carrier approval to begin pushing things out. We’ve seen that process take a decent amount of time, so don’t be surprised if things keep slipping out a little further.
Here’s hoping Samsung gets at least a few of their older devices updated before announcing the Galaxy S7.
source: Softpedia
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s Marshmallow updates pushed back again, this time to February
New A9-Based 4-Inch iPhone to Replace iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
Apple’s next-generation 4-inch iPhone is more likely to include variants of the A9 and M9 motion coprocessor chips, allowing for always-on Hey Siri, according to 9to5Mac.
The report claims the so-called “iPhone 5se” will likely replace the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Apple’s fall 2016 smartphone lineup, while the iPhone 5s will then be discontinued.
Because the iPhone 7 will include a faster chip potentially known as the A10 processor, Apple likely does not want its new 4-inch iPhone to fall two processor generations behind in just six months.
9to5Mac and other sources originally expected the new 4-inch iPhone to have an A8 chip with M8 motion coprocessor, but Chinese website MyDrivers last week said the device will have an A9 chip instead. Apple has allegedly tested multiple prototypes with both A8 and A9 chipsets, likely fueling the conflicting reports.
Today’s report also claims the new 4-inch iPhone will have 16GB and 64GB storage models available, which again corroborates Chinese website MyDrivers. Other possible specs reported elsewhere include a 1,624 mAh battery, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.2, Apple Pay, VoLTE and 802.11ac WiFi, but 3D Touch appears unlikely.
The next-generation 4-inch iPhone reportedly entered mass production last week, ahead of a rumored March event announcement, alongside the iPad Air 3 and Apple Watch updates including new bands and possibly other minor improvements. The smartphone is expected to ship in late March or early April.
Discuss this article in our forums
Alleged Samsung employee spills on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
Assuming Evan Blass is again correct and Samsung releases its next flagship in the United States on March 11, we’re going to see the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge debut next month. The launch will likely come at MWC 2016 in February, but the leaks and rumors have been happening for months and will continue through the moment we actually see Samsung unveil new hardware. Over the weekend, Nader apparently gained information regarding the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge from a person that claims to be an employee of Samsung.
This person is either a grand liar or an employee who really wants to grab headlines by spilling Samsung’s plans for its upcoming phones. Actually, both of those are possible. My point is that you should be cautious in believing what follows below. And, in all honestly, the source isn’t giving anything we’re too unfamiliar with.
The display size for the two phones will be 5.1 inches and 5.5 inches, respectively. The entire chassis (which we like to call the frame) is going to be black in order to provide an upscale, premium look and feel. On the backside will be a 12MP camera, down from the 16MP module that the company used in 2015. This is because Samsung wants to focus on the sensor being used rather than megapixels, allowing them to promote the phones as nighttime photography wizards. Changes to the camera are also making it possible for Samsung to have the component flush with the rest of the device. The self-proclaimed Samsung employee did not, however, mention the Live Photos competitor.
Both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge will be sold in at least Black, White Silver, and Gold. Surprised by that, huh?
As stated in recent weeks, Samsung will be going back to including little things that made millions of people flock to their phones. Things like the microSD card slot, water resistance, and a beefy battery are all said to be returning for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.
Again, all of this could’ve been stated by anyone who has followed mobile news in the last two months. Whether Nader actually spoke to a Samsung employee or not doesn’t matter because the information provided was basically a summary of everything we’ve heard to date.
Samsung will apparently be holding an event at MWC 2016 on February 21 to unveil the latest and greatest; however, LG will also being doing the same on that date. So we’re looking at two of the top Android supporters facing off with new flagships debuting within hours of each other.
Source: Nader
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Alleged Samsung employee spills on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
WSJ: Spotify to launch video service on Android this week
Spotify will be launching its much-anticipated video service on Android this week, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
Rumors of Spotify launching its own video service began last year with a report from the Wall Street Journal saying that the company wanted to compete on the same front as YouTube and Facebook.
Details on Spotify’s video expansion aren’t firm, but it seems like users will primarily see content from providers like BBC, Comedy Central, ABC, ESPN and many others. In that sense, Spotify’s video service won’t be like YouTube or Facebook, as it won’t be letting individual users create content.
Spotify’s VP of Product, Shiva Rajaraman, told the Wall Street Journal that video would be delivered to users in the form of playlists. With that in mind, users would see bundles of videos called “News of the Week” or even “Laughs at Lunch,” which would be a compilation of video from Comedy Central or snippets from Jimmy Kimmel Live.
There aren’t any concrete details on how Spotify plans to monetize this video either. The company is paying partners like BBC and ESPN to license content, but it won’t make any money off of this initially. The primary goal is to increase user interaction and time in the app, as well as attracting more users and getting them to buy a ad-free subscription.
While Spotify won’t be monetizing video straight away, Spotify’s Chief Executive Daniel Ek last year told the Wall Street Journal that video ads would eventually become “an important revenue source.” And rightly so, as the company would no doubt need its video front to become profitable at some point.
Rajaraman did tell the Wall Street Journal that they’re offering this service purely from a demand standpoint, but it will no doubt help sustain the company as the music-streaming game gets even more competitive.
We’ll no doubt hear more concrete details after Spotify officially launches its video front this week. Stay tuned!
source: Wall Street Journal
via: Engadget
Come comment on this article: WSJ: Spotify to launch video service on Android this week
Lenovo takes the wraps off its K5 Note with all-metal body and MediaTek’s Helio P10 SoC
The Motorola brand might be being phased out over time, but the Lenovo brand is very much alive, with the Chinese electronics company having unveiled the K4 Note at CES just a few short weeks ago, and the K5 Note earlier today. Yes, you read that right, Lenovo has already released a follow-up model to the K4. Unlike the K4 Note that is China-bound, the K5 Note is aimed squarely at the Chinese market, and features an all metal design and mostly updated hardware.
Besides featuring an all-metal design, a 5.5 Full HD display and MediaTek’s Helio P10 processor, the Lenovo K5 Note boasts a rectangular design, with a fingerprint scanner on the rear of the device that can be used for making payments, unlocking the device as well as a pseudo camera button. One oddity about the K5 Note is that, for some reason, Lenovo has decided to only give it 2GB of RAM, whereas the K4 actually carries 3GB. Like I said, it’s odd. Let’s have a closer look at the rest of the hardware.
Specifications:
- Android 5.1 Lollipop with Vibe UI
- 5.5-Inch Full HD IPS display
- MediaTek Octa-core Helio P10 processor @ 1.8GHz
- Mali-T860MP2 GPU
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB Internal storage
- MicroSD card support
- Rear Fingerprint scanner
- 13MP Rear camera
- 8MP Front camera
- Dual nano-SIM support (Dual SIM standby)
- Tri-mode TDD: Band 38/39/40/41 (100M) TDS Band 34/39 GSM: Band 2/3/8 (2G/3G/4G)
- LTE Cat 6 – 300/50Mbps
- VoLTE
- 1.5W Rear speaker with Dolby Atmos surround sound
- Battery: 3,500mAh (non-removable)
- Dimensions: 152 x 75.7 x 8.49
- Available in Gold and Silver
The K5 Note has been priced at 1,099 Yuan, which equates to around $167, and will be available via flash sales on the Lenovo website, where you can register your interest in the handset. There’s no details on whether Lenovo will bring the k5 Note to other regions as yet.
Come comment on this article: Lenovo takes the wraps off its K5 Note with all-metal body and MediaTek’s Helio P10 SoC
Make sure all your important files are backed up with the help of Genius Rescue
Let’s take a look at a scary situation. You’ve had your computer for the last three years or so, and you’ve been extremely religious about backing up all of your pictures. You have some from your wedding, or those family vacations, and some holiday pictures in there too. Obviously these are pictures that you don’t want to lose.
Well, one day, you turn your computer on, and all of a sudden it cuts itself off. There wasn’t a random power surge or anything, but your computer just kind of died on you. So you begin frantically trying to see what happened, because all of your important files are stored locally on the hard drive. You can’t get the computer to turn back on, so you take the hard drive out, use an enclosure that you purchased, and find out terrible news. All your files are gone. Everything is gone.
Well, if you had created multiple backups, or used some type of cloud storage like everyone has suggested, then you wouldn’t be stuck in this predicament, and your files would have been safely secured. This would have allowed you to be able to have all of your files available in the case of this kind of disaster.
That brings us to Genius Rescue. This service is a cloud storage option that works in the background and syncs everything to its servers. With up to 2TB of storage space, you’ll be able to back up every file on your computer worth having.
In today’s day and age, where we are so reliant on technology, we get caught up in the moment, and tend to forget that technology does break. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that there’s an extra copy (or two, or three) of all of your pertinent files. Whether those files are for work, or the aforementioned family pictures.
Once you have set up Genius Rescue for the first time, all of your files will be automatically backed up to the cloud. Users can even select when they would the backup to occur, so that it doesn’t interfere with anything else that you may be doing at the time.
- Sync your computers to view & work on your files anywhere
- Back up any file type: music, video, pictures, documents, executables, graphics & more
- Take advantage of 2TB of backup space
- Watch movies & listen to music from your web browser or mobile device
- Back up your data on multiple servers (unlike most backup companies) to ensure your data is safe
- Access up to 30 versions of any file so you can revert to old versions
- Restore deleted files
- Clear up space on your laptop or desktop
- Enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee (direct w/ Genius Rescue)
Genius Rescue offers an simple way to back everything up in the case of an emergency, and allows users to view/download these files from multiple devices. Add in the fact that this deal is for a lifetime subscription, and you’ll never have to worry about losing your files for the rest of eternity.
Normally, a lifetime subscription to Genius Rescue would run you about $900, but with this today’s deal from AndroidGuys and StackCommerce, you get 2TB of storage for only $49. Less for the peace of mind that your files will always be stored securely and available for easy access from multiple devices. Sounds like a no brainer to me.
Add in the fact that you are given a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t give Genius Rescue a shot. Head over to the AndroidGuys Deals page, and let us know what you think about this great deal, that can save you a ton of headaches.
You can find this, and many other great tech bargains through our Deals page. Backed by StackCommerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
AndroidGuys Deals: Genius Rescue 2TB Cloud Backup Lifetime Subscription
The post Make sure all your important files are backed up with the help of Genius Rescue appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Theranos could be in trouble with Medicare regulators
Federal regulators have found problems at one of Theranos’ labs, according to The Wall Street Journal‘s sources. The Silicon Valley startup, famous for its blood tests that require just a finger prick’s worth of blood, has been under scrutiny recently due to claims its methods are inaccurate. The WSJ says that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which regulates clinical labs, has found “serious” and “severe” deficiencies at the site.
This isn’t just more bad PR for Theranos. Although the exact issue has yet to be disclosed, the report claims the inspection results will be publicly released soon, and could put the Northern California lab in question at risk of suspension from the Medicare program.
It’s unclear if the problem relates to the “Edison” machines that process the finger-prick blood samples Theranos is famous for. Following FDA probes, only a single blood screen — for Herpes — is currently approved for the method. The other hundred-or-so tests the company offers are currently processed using traditional methods, pending the FDA okay. So there’s every chance the issue could be misconduct unrelated to the testing methodology that propelled the company to a $9 billion valuation. That said, anything that calls the professionalism of a laboratory into question is not good for Theranos’ under-fire business.
We’ve reached out to Theranos for comment on the WSJ‘s allegations, and will update this article when we hear back.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
AIVAnet 