Yes, ‘Beyond Good and Evil 2’ is still happening
Beyond Good and Evil 2 isn’t dead yet, according to its mastermind Michel Ancel. If you aren’t familiar, the sequel is something of an enigma in the gaming world. Merely mentioning its name elicits complex emotions and dreams of publisher Ubisoft showing the game at its next year’s E3 media briefing. The first game was a critical hit but didn’t sell well. Consumers in the Aughts weren’t down with a game about a plucky photojournalist and her anthropomorphic porcine companion; who’d have thought?
But, much like Double Fine’s Psychonauts, it developed a cult following after its quiet 2003 release and even got the HD-remaster treatment in 2011. Project lead Ancel has since made other games (like the excellent reboot of the Rayman series and the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive, Wild) but BG&E 2 is the one everyone asks him about. Even Double Fine creative director Tim Schafer. The two got together for the season finale episode of Double Fine’s “Devs Play” series to talk shop and play through the cult classic.
The episode starts out innocently enough, but at the 48 minute mark conversation turns to Ancel talking about the sequel’s years-old teaser trailer. That’s when Schafer says the only logical thing to Ancel: “Tell us everything about Beyond Good and Evil 2.”
“Maybe we should continue with Beyond Good and Evil 1,” Ancel said, laughing coyly.
“It’s going to be great though; it’s going to be amazing. Good enough for Miyamoto.” Schafer prodded.
“That’s the problem — it has to be great. When we started that game [BG&E] there wasn’t much pressure… No other games I’ve made have the same aura.”
The stinger after the credits roll is where the magic lies, though:
“You’re still in this headpsace because you’re making the sequel though, right?” Schafer asked.
“Yeah, but it’s difficult because it’s hard for me to do the same kind of game two times. I don’t know how you manage that with Psychonauts 2,” Ancel said.
As are the rest of the Devs Play videos, the whole episode is worth watching. Especially if you want to hear Ancel’s answer when Schafer asked if he’d thought about putting big breasts on Pey’j the pig. This has been your update on BG&E2 for the day.
Via: Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Source: YouTube
It has only been 4 years since the original phablet was introduced: A brief look back at the Samsung Galaxy Note
Four years ago this month, Samsung introduced the first phablet with the Samsung Galaxy Note.
In January of 2012, Samsung truly brought us the Next Big Thing with the first Galaxy Note. And big it was with a game changing 5.3″ display.
Without a doubt the dominant smartphone in late 2012 was the iPhone 4s. And it was a great phone, but it had a 3.5″ display! When I think back to the iPhone 4s, I still can’t believe it was just four years ago that I was using that phone. With nothing to lose, Samsung released an experiment in the U.S. at CES 2012, with the Samsung Galaxy Note.
The large 5.3″ display was something mainstream smartphones had not seen before. Many reviewers at the time balked and laughed at the large screen – many people judge too quickly. But customers knew what they wanted. By August of 2012, Samsung had sold over 10 million Galaxy Note smartphones.
In just four fast years, almost all of the major phone manufacturers have large smartphones flagships over 5.3″. And they all owe the size change to Samsung’s willingness to try something radically different.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Notable 5.5-5.7 inch flagships that have followed in the footsteps of the Samsung Galaxy Note
- Apple iPhone 6S plus
- Huawei Google Nexus 6P
- Motorola Google Nexus 6
- Motorola Moto X Pure
- LG G4
- LG V10
- Sony Xperia Z5
- Blackberry Priv
- Microsoft Lumia 950XL
If you love your large smartphones you need to know who pioneered the large displays, and it was Samsung. The original Samsung Galaxy Note truly changed the design of modern devices. The larger display not only allowed for us to see our screens much more easily, but it also allowed for us to consume videos and online content in a much more pleasurable way. It became much easier to write longer emails, edit documents, read books, and to do online research.
It’s time to pay homage to the original king of display size by adding it to the Smartphone Hall of Fame, the Samsung Galaxy Note.
Thank you Samsung.
From the Galaxy Note website from 2012.
It is the ultimate on-the-go device which consolidates core benefits of diverse mobile devices
while maintaining smartphone portability.
It empowers you with everything you can ever desire so that you can simply, feel free. It is truly smart.
-
Consumer research indicates that people always want to do more tasks much better, even on the go, whether it is web browsing, email, games, or viewing photos and videos.
-
To do all this, consumers carry multiple devices, because each device has unique benefits that work best in a particular situation. Therefore, consumers constantly switch devices to use the right device at the right time.
-
Even for consumers with multiple smart devices, they still carry around a notepad for writing down ideas.
-
There is an emerging desire for a primary device for on-the-go use that could consolidate the core tasks of multiple devices as well as recreate the ease and simplicity of using a pen and paper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FvH6vbhOs6Y
The post It has only been 4 years since the original phablet was introduced: A brief look back at the Samsung Galaxy Note appeared first on AndroidGuys.
50 HD Wallpapers of comic heroes and villains
Today we have something a little different with 50 HD wallpapers of comic book heroes and villains. Sure scenery is great, but comic book art is really cool to use as a wallpaper.
We’re trying out a new wallpaper format – instead of using the scroller that we typically use above that hogs resources, we have added a few of our favorites below, but are now linking directly to Google Photos. In order to download the wallpapers you want, and please download as many as you want, just click on the image and select “download”. Once downloaded it should show up in your gallery where you can set it as your background.
These wallpapers are all minimum 1080p resolution and should look great across your Android, iOS, and Windows devices. From smartphones, to tablets, to desktops these wallpapers will look great as your background.
Check them out by following this LINK.
Gallery
The post 50 HD Wallpapers of comic heroes and villains appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition review: Moto flies solo
In 2013, Google instructed Motorola to reboot and reinvent itself as a producer of Android devices different from anything else. Motorola did almost nothing to stand out from the pack up until then. The brand and its devices couldn’t stand out from Samsung and HTC despite being heavily promoted on its own and with help from carriers in the United States. Motorola was releasing phones and tablets at a pace not unlike as Samsung but without the same success. Consumers couldn’t understand why they should be buying from Motorola. So Google pushed Motorola to change for the better and the company’s massive lineup was brought down to just three phones focusing separately on entry-level, mid-range, and high-end tiers. The Moto E line is for those who need a cheap phone with value while the Moto G line adds a bit of flashiness to affordability. And the grand Moto X line is for when you want to drop a few hundred dollars to get a top-notch phone. The commonality between the three lines is having simple hardware and a clean software experience. No more debating which Motorola device is right for you. Based on your budget and needs, you could tell exactly which one you should be buying.
The new Moto X Pure Edition (known as the Moto X Style outside of the United States) aims to carry Motorola’s flagship into territory complete free of carrier chains. Its design is nicely refreshed, the specifications are among the best around, and price is attractive as possible.
The first two flagships after Motorola’s rebirth seemed to feel like they were missing something. The Moto X (2013) shipped with brilliant software, but the hardware was behind the Galaxy S4 and HTC One M7 which were released months prior. Motorola felt a 720p display was good enough to satisfy consumers in a world where 1080p became the norm. The following year, Motorola learned its lesson and beefed up the Moto X (2014). However, a longtime issue, one that has existed in every Motorola-made device in history, went unsolved: poor camera quality. Motorola knows it, too, because the company admitted at a July 2015 event it hasn’t been successful in releasing phones with cameras capable of taking good pictures. Either an epiphany was experienced or the people at Lenovo told them to get their act together. Motorola can’t mess up the Moto X Pure Edition’s camera now, right? You’ll learn whether the camera is good or bad in this review.
Motorola is leaving behind the safety net of having carriers promote and sell devices in favor of going directly for consumers. The Moto X Pure Edition cannot be bought from any carriers. Amazon, Best Buy, and Motorola itself are the select places in the United States selling the phone. Pricing starts at $399 and creeps up when you add more internal storage and fancier materials through Moto Maker. The specifications included, which you can see in the Hardware section, aren’t normal for that price point. But Motorola is ready to undercut the competition, likely with great thanks to Lenovo’s wallet, and give you a no-compromise phone for less than $500.
Design
No hesitation was shown by Motorola upon announcing the Moto X Pure Edition’s size is unlike anything else the company has ever released. Let’s get right to it: the phone is gigantic. It measures 153.9 x 76.2 x 11.1mm, putting it right up there as one of the largest phones on the market today. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5, LG V10, and the Nexus 6P are of comparable sizes. Even their weights are similar with the Moto X Pure Edition coming in at a solid 179g. Between them, the obvious exterior differences come in their look and feel.
The design can be perfectly described as casually premium. While the Galaxy Note 5 and Nexus 6P have all-metal builds with glass located in select areas, the Moto X Pure Edition only offers metal for the frame and rubber or fancy materials for the back. Not having a wealth of metal or glass doesn’t mean the phone is ugly or cheap, though. Its entire build quality is well-made, feeling solid in the hand. And despite being gargantuan, Motorola figured out a way to make the phone very comfortable to hold in one hand or two. Like the Moto G (2015), the Moto X Pure Edition has a slightly curved back causing it to gently lay in your hand. The wood and leather backs allow for a nice grip, but the rubberized back isn’t the greatest when wet. Fortunately, holding on to the phone by its metal frame is comfortably safe option.
If you have smaller-than-average hands, you’ll probably be forced to keep two hands on the phone at all times to reach items near the top of the display. The Moto X Pure Edition is tall and there’s no getting around that. Meanwhile, the width isn’t any problem because Motorola has such slim bezels to keep you from having to reach very far for something on the other side of the display.
A nice little treat Motorola fit into the Moto X Pure Edition’s design is IP52 certification, meaning the phone can repel water. The body and ports have a nano-coating to wick away moisture. Spill a little liquid on your phone and you have nothing to worry about. It’ll come off of the Moto X Pure Edition with the phone unharmed. Just don’t try taking the phone for swim because its IP52 certification doesn’t cover depth.
Facing you at all times is the 5.7-inch display, but that’s not the only thing on the front of the Moto X Pure Edition. Above and below the display are front-facing stereo speakers, an approach to audio HTC introduced to us a few years ago that many companies are starting to implement themselves. The bottom of the display isn’t busy outside of having two motion sensors because Motorola enjoys using on-screen buttons. But above the display, things are a little busy. The ambient light sensor, front-facing camera, front-facing LED flash, and another motion sensor are all up top.
Turn the Moto X Pure Edition around and you’ll see a setup inspired by previous models but maintains its own identity. The little Motorola logo is present on the bottom a metal strip oriented vertically. And, yes, you can rest your index finger on the logo since it has a little dip. At the top of this metal strip is the camera module.
The only physical buttons used are the power and volume buttons, both of which are situated on the right side of the frame.
What you won’t see anywhere on the phone is a fingerprint scanner. The Moto X Pure Edition was released before Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s release, the version of Google’s mobile operating system that will give a huge boost to the component’s use, and Motorola likely figured including one would greatly raise costs on their end and for consumers. Without question, we can expect to see the next Moto X have a fingerprint scanner. Motorola likes following Google’s lead.
Another component missing from the Moto X Pure Edition is a USB Type-C port. This omission isn’t really one to be disappointed or angry about because the new charging and data transfer standard doesn’t feel ready for primetime yet. Everyone owns an abundance of micro-USB cables; therefore, Motorola is allowing everyone to go about their routine like normal with the phone’s micro-USB port on the bottom of the Moto X Pure Edition. And at the top of the phone, sitting in a very controversial spot, is an auxiliary port. A surprising inclusion, on the other hand, is the microSD card slot.
One of the biggest advantages of choosing Motorola’s flagship and then buying it through them directly is Moto Maker. The customization suite is now three years old and serves its purpose better than ever. Just about every area of the phone is customizable at this point and the extra cost to do exactly what you want isn’t astronomical. Internal storage and premium backs like wood and leather are the only things that raise the cost of the phone.
These are the areas you can touch with the Moto X Pure Edition in Moto Maker:
- Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
- Front & Frame: White/Silver, White/Champagne, Black/Dark Grey
- Back:
- Soft Grip: Winter White, Black, Slate, Raspberry, Cabernet, Lime, Turquoise, Dark Teal, Royal Blue, Deep Sea Blue
- Wood: Bamboo, Walnut, Ebony, Charcoal Ash
- Leather: Natural, Cognac, Black, Red
- Accent: Lemon Lime, Silver, Dark Grey, Champagne, Red, Pink, Blue
- Engraving: 14-character limit
- Greeting: 18-character limit
You can also pick up a SIM card from Motorola to use the phone with most of the major carriers in the United States. Motorola will throw in a Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or U.S. Cellular SIM card for $5.
At checkout, Motorola will tell you when to expect your Moto X Pure Edition to be sitting on your doorstep. The typical estimated delivery time is about ten days and you’ll be given an order number that provides updates on what phase your new phone is in. But before you complete your order, I urge you to think safe long-term and sign up for Moto Care. While the Extended Service Plan for $19 is nice, the two Accident Protection plans are well worth the little added cost. Fifteen months of coverage is $49 and two years of coverage is $79. If anything happens to your Moto X Pure Edition (outside of it losing it), Motorola will replace it for free by sending you a like-new phone before you ship the damaged one to them.
Hardware
The Moto X Pure Edition features a 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) IPS LCD display covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, a Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor, Adreno 418, 3GB of RAM, 16/32/64GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot for up to 128GB, a 21MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, a 3300mAh battery (non-removable), NFC, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, and Bluetooth 4.1.
Bands:
U.S. version
4G LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 25, 26, 41)
3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100)
2G GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900)
2G CDMA (900, 850, 1900)
EU version
4G LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 25, 28, 29, 40, 41)
3G (800, 850, 1700, 1900, 2100, 900)
2G GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900)
Performance
The phone’s display is ginormous and gorgeous, sporting an incredible screen-to-body ratio of 76% which bests most of the phones you’ll compare it to.
Motorola made the bold move to switch display technology from Super AMOLED to LCD. What could have caused Motorola to switch? Perhaps Samsung’s asking price was far too much or Lenovo wanted Motorola to use a technology not built by a competitor. The Moto X Pure Edition still benefits from using an LCD display because it gets much brighter. Colors shouldn’t be as vibrant nor should they pop quite like they do on a Super AMOLED display, but whatever Motorola is using produces crisp, attractive text and images. The colors emitted are rich and bright enough to satisfy anyone except a true Super AMOLED fanboy. No matter how you slice it, the Moto X Pure Edition’s display is better than its two predecessors’. Neither of those had Quad HD (2560×1440) resolution and they weren’t nearly as nice to look at. The resolution can be credited with the success, but there really isn’t any true struggle in color reproduction.
Real dissatisfaction will come from Motorola fanboys because of what an LCD display means for Moto Display, one of the selling points for Motorola’s phones. Moto Display appreciates Super AMOLED’s ability to illuminate only the areas of a display that need to show content. With LCD displays, Moto Display has no alternative but to turn on the entire panel. That can drain battery life, but Motorola is using a large battery with good optimization to alleviate concern.
You shouldn’t care what Motorola’s reason for choosing an LCD display is because the Moto X Pure Edition is still a treat to gaze upon.
These days, releasing a phone with front-facing speakers is nothing out of the ordinary. Motorola is among a small-yet-committed group to give people high-end audio in their phones. The front-facing stereo speakers on the Moto X Pure Edition come in handy when you want to watch a video on your phone or play music loud enough to hear from a distance. I don’t get the need for front-facing speakers on any device, honestly, because usually generic speakers are acceptable. If I want to watch a movie or listen to music, I’ll call upon the Chromecast or Chromecast Audio to handle media. Big sound isn’t help, at least to me, when watching a 5-minute video on YouTube (that I can still cast to Google’s Chromecast).
Looking at the whole package, the Moto X Pure Edition is the best phone for consumers seeking a multimedia beast. The display is awing and the speakers are powerful. So you’re covered with consuming video and audio. Furthering my declaration of this phone being an entertainment master is the microSD card slot. We’ve seen even Samsung move away from the microSD card slot (although they’re probably returning), but Motorola is standing by its side and giving people even more storage than they buy with the Moto X Pure Edition. If you’re someone who likes having a pool of files stored on your phone and not in the cloud, this phone is for you.
Since all but a handful of brave souls are terrified of the Snapdragon 810 due to overheating concerns, Motorola decided to play it safe and use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 808 as the engine inside the Moto X Pure Edition. This processor, which has six cores to its name, is paired with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 418 GPU to ensure everything operates smoothly and coolly. I launched Minecraft: Story Mode, a more complex title for mobile devices, and was impressed with the speed at which the phone got me through loading screens and into the cubed world. Hopping between that game, Twitter, Chrome, and Hangouts was impressively easy. The only time I really thought the phone’s temperature was too high was when I had a mountain of app updates to take care of. And you can’t hold that against the Moto X Pure Edition because pretty much every device in the world gets a little toasty when updating apps.
Battery
The battery fueling this monstrosity is 3300mAh, which is down from the 3450mAh battery Google has in the similarly-sized Nexus 6P. Surprisingly, the Moto X Pure Edition doesn’t last very long on a single charge. The phone, for me, would reach about eleven or twelve hours before begging for a wall outlet. I’m not sure why this is the case, especially since I’m not one to push heavy apps and games on my phone. It’s possible that the 5.7-inch display and its Quad HD resolution is asking of a lot, though. At least overnight the battery doesn’t drain whatsoever because of Android’s Doze feature.
On the plus side, Motorola is using its own TurboPower technology and Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology to quickly get you and the phone away from wall outlets. With a compatible charger, the Moto X Pure Edition should go from 0% to 100% in less than 80 minutes. I think being able to charge faster makes up for the ‘eh’ battery life and lack of wireless charging.
Software
Although it shipped with Lollipop, Motorola already has the Moto X Pure Edition running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. And Motorola sticks to using a near-stock version of Android, giving owners of this phone a clean software experience with software updates pushed quickly. That’s an advantage no other company has (outside of those making Google’s Nexus devices). The Moto X Pure Edition comes months after flagships from Samsung and LG, but neither of those two companies have yet to give the Galaxy S6 or G4 the big jump to Marshmallow on a widespread level. Motorola simply sees what Google releases, heads into the lab, and pushes out software updates when ready for showtime.
Motorola’s pre-installed apps include Camera, Gallery, Help, Messaging, and the Moto app. The only non-Motorola apps you’ll find on them Moto X Pure Edition come from Google. The company figures you only need what you need. There’s no real reason to pull a Samsung or LG and throw everything and the kitchen sink into a phone if people aren’t going to use even a quarter of the features. The unique features that Motorola hides inside the Moto X Pure Edition, however, are extremely valuable.
The Moto app is home to Moto Actions, Moto Voice, and Moto Display — the features that Motorola hopes will cause consumers to choose its phones and stay with the brand into the future. Their names are rather self-explanatory, but I’ll give you a brief overview of two of them before getting into the star of this phone.
Moto Actions utilizes the phone’s sensors to predict what you’re trying to accomplish: look at the display and it will stay on; do a chopping motion to turn on/off the flashlight; twist your wrist to launch the camera; lift the phone to your ear for Moto Voice; approach the phone to trigger Moto Display.
Moto Voice is straightforward in that it’s always listening to you, ready to perform everyday tasks. The Moto X Pure Edition can send messages, post to Facebook, play a specific YouTube video, take pictures, and much more just by you using your voice. If stumped, the phone will redirect you to Google Search in hope of an appropriate response appearing there.
Moto Display could be enough to attract people on the edge of buying this phone. It’s Motorola’s flagship feature for their flagship phone. The Moto X Pure Edition doesn’t have a notification light — well, it does but you’ll need a special app like Light Flow for use — and so Motorola uses an on-screen solution to calmly show notifications. When a notification hits the phone, the display glows lightly with the app icon showing for the corresponding notification. Press your finger on it and you’ll get a preview of who is the notification is from and what the notification is trying telling you. Swipe up from the app icon and Motorola will launch the app. Swipe down from the app icon and the phone unlocks. But swipe to the right and the notification will be dismissed. If you don’t do anything, Motorola will continuously have Moto Display do its job.
Notifications fading in and out is nice because you won’t have to keep your eyes locked on your phone and constantly check it. I’m sure you’ve been fooled many times while waiting for a specific message only to realize Candy Crush is begging you to return. That’s not the case with the Moto X Pure Edition because you always see what the notification without touching the phone. The implementation worked better in the past with Super AMOLED displays, but Motorola still has a winner on its hands despite the Moto X Pure Edition’s LCD display.
Camera
This could be Motorola’s final chance to get the camera right before everyone gives up and believes it’ll never happen. The Moto X Pure Edition has a 21MP rear camera with color-balancing flash, one that the company says is ready to “take phenomenal pictures faster with rapid focus and zero shutter speed” in “any light.” Big statement, yes? It’s more like a huge statement when the world knows you haven’t excelled in mobile photography. So, here I am with the verdict: the Moto X Pure Edition takes good pictures outside with average-to-good lighting. When the sun goes down or you’re in a shaded area, the phone’s camera reverts back to its old ways. Basically, the camera is very inconsistent.
They may have an underwhelming camera once again, but I think we should applaud Motorola for its improvements. The Moto X Pure Edition has the best camera ever…. for a Motorola phone. The controls are easy to access and simply to use, stripping down to bear necessities for people that want to take pictures and share them with friends and family. And hey, if you enjoy taking selfies, this phone has one of the best front-facing cameras in the business.
Closing
Motorola’s Moto X Pure Edition is the perfect phone for you as long as you’re not seeking a flashy package. The phone isn’t as bold as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and it lacks the attempted innovation of LG’s V10, but yet Motorola beats those companies’ current flagships in software, customization, availability, and price. The Moto X Pure Edition can be in your hands, customized to your liking through Moto Maker, for as little as $399 and it doesn’t force you upon a specific carrier. You’re also getting timely software updates that are practically guaranteed for about two years, a promise normally left to Google with Nexus devices. So then maybe it’ll come down to Motorola’s flagship or one of Google’s two Nexus phones. If you can afford it, I’d say go for the Nexus 6P. The Nexus 6P has a bigger battery, better camera, more suitable display, and software updates are coming to it first. But if you are struggling to pick between the Moto X Pure Edition and the Nexus 5X, you should probably follow Motorola. The choice was clearer when the Nexus 5X was priced at $379 and then $349, but that phone is now $299. I wouldn’t consider the Nexus 5X a real flagship because its specs and in-person performance are a little lackluster. So if you’re seeking something off-contract and high-end, the Moto X Pure Edition has to be the choice.
Where Motorola now runs into a problem is reaching consumers. Lenovo needs to step up and write checks for advertising campaigns because not having carriers selling the Moto X Pure Edition will leave the phone in the dark to the public. I doubt people who don’t keep up with the mobile industry know the phone exists or, if they do, where they can buy it. Best Buy is one of its few retailers and we haven’t seen them promote the Moto X Pure Edition either. Who knows what the phone is and where to get it? I do, you do, and other readers of Talk Android do. But we’re not the conventional consumer who has to be exposed to marketing to become aware of a product and understand where it fits in with our life. The only party to be blamed by the Moto X Pure Edition’s lack of exposure is Lenovo, the company that spent $3 billion on a brand to fight Samsung and Apple. Kudos to Motorola for being independent and different, but a dependency on Lenovo is the honest path to success.
[Motorola]
Come comment on this article: Motorola Moto X Pure Edition review: Moto flies solo
Louis CK launches an online-only video series
Louis CK is no stranger to dodging conventional TV in favor of releasing his shows online, but his latest effort might take the cake. He just surprise-released the first episode of a new online-only video series, Horace and Pete, through his website. And it’s not amateur hour, either — the bar-themed show co-stars Steve Buscemi, while actors ranging from Alan Alda to Jessica Lange make appearances in the first video alone. It’s not clear how long H&P will run, but there are hints that the first episode was shot just days earlier.
The comedian isn’t straying from his previous formula for online shows, which makes this a bit expensive: you’re paying $5 for one episode. It’s available for both downloading and streaming, however, and the download is Louis’ usual unprotected file that should play on just about anything. There’s no guarantee that this will be a hit, but it demonstrates how quick and easy it is to cut the red tape and post professionally-made video online — at least, if you’re an established entertainer with money to spare.
Source: Louis CK
Google plans to beam 5G internet from solar drones
Google has a new top secret project by the same team that brought us Project Loon, according to The Guardian. It’s called Project Skybender, and it aims to deliver 5G internet from solar drones. Mountain View has reportedly begun experimenting with millimeter wave-based internet in Virgin Galactic’s Gateway to Space terminal at Spaceport America in New Mexico. Millimeter waves are believed to be capable of transmitting data 40 times faster than LTE and could become the technology behind 5G internet. DARPA began working on an internet connection based on it for remote military bases in 2012.
University of Washington professor Jacques Rudell told The Guardian that “[t]he huge advantage of millimetre wave is access to new spectrum because the existing cellphone spectrum is overcrowded. It’s packed and there’s nowhere else to go.” The problem with millimeter wave transmissions, though, is that they fade after a short distance and can’t compare to a mobile phone signal’s range. That’s likely one of the issue’s Google is trying to solve if it aims to beam internet from the sky.
Project Skybender is currently using an “optionally piloted aircraft (OPA)” called Centaur and a solar-powered drone called Solara 50 made by Titan Aerospace, which the Big G snapped up in 2014, for its tests. Google has permission from the FCC to continue testing the drone-internet system in New Mexico until July. We’ll most likely hear more details as its development progresses, the same way that Google regularly announces the latest details about Project Loon.
[Image credit: Wikimedia]
Source: The Guardian
BLU Vivo XL review
BLU, the Florida-based device manufacturer, boasts a robust smartphone portfolio with a common aspect all these phones share being their budget-friendly nature. Continuing to add to their lineup, BLU unveiled two more affordable smartphones last month at CES 2016, with the cheaper of the already low-cost phones being the BLU Vivo XL. Of course, very affordable devices has been the point of focus for a lot of Android OEMs over the past year, so does BLU manage to stand out with their latest offering? We find out, in this comprehensive BLU Vivo XL review!
Design
The Vivo XL is certainly one of BLU’s flashier options to date, with a patterned finish on the removable back cover, with gold being the color version of this particular review unit. Whether you like the look depends entirely on your personal opinion, and there is another touch more subtle color option available as well, but it has to be said that the glossy plastic backing and matte finish edges allow for an excellent feel in the hand. However, the plastic rear cover does seem to be prone to scratches, so you may have to depend on a protective case to keep the device in a pristine condition. Luckily, the Vivo XL does come with a case in the box.
Taking a look around the device, the power button and volume rocker are on the right side, and all the buttons offer a reasonable amount of tactile feedback. Capacitive navigation keys are found below the display up front, but in a rather strange move BLU switched the positions of the back and the Recent Apps keys. This might take some getting used to depending on what device you’re coming from. There is also a multi-colored LED at the top left above the display, and the headphone jack and USB-Type C port are found up top and at the bottom respectively.
BLU has also done a great job with keeping the bezels around the display and the top portion and bottom chin quite thin, making for a more manageable handling experience than its 5.5-inch display would suggest. Build quality hasn’t always been particularly good when it comes to devices that fall in the sub-$150 category, but that is also something that is slowly changing, especially with the Vivo XL. Despite its plastic construction, the device certainly doesn’t feel cheap, and the solid construction allows for a great feel while holding the phone.
Display
The Vivo XL comes with a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with a 720p resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 267ppi. The pixel count may not be the highest out there, and while a higher display resolution would have been nice, 720p does make sense at this price point – the main advantages of the display are clearly shown off in the battery life department. The display experience is actually also really good as well, with the AMOLED panel allowing for high contrast and punchy, saturated colors. Overall, the display of the Vivo XL is certainly one of the best we’ve seen in this price range, despite its lower resolution.
Performance and hardware
Under the hood, the Vivo XL comes with an octa-core MediaTek MT6753 processor, clocked at 1.3GHz and backed by the Mali-T720 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The performance of the Vivo XL has been good for the most part, with the device handling tasks with ease the majority of the time. However, there were some instances where the phone would generally feel sluggish, particularly when opening or switching between applications via the Recent Apps screen.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 20%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
As far as gaming is concerned, the device is able to handle casual games with no trouble, but you will see some frame drops with more graphically-intensive games. That said, the Vivo XL is still a decent option for mobile gamers on a tight budget.
16 gigabytes is the only in-built storage option available with the Vivo XL, but you do get expandable storage via microSD card by up to 64GB to alleviate any concerns. The device also comes with a standard suite of connectivity options, as well as dual-SIM capabilities. You also get full 4G LTE support on the T-Mobile network, and nearly full support on AT&T. We were able to test this review unit on T-Mobile’s extended range LTE network (band 12) and experienced excellent connectivity. If you are on AT&T however, you may be missing out on LTE coverage in some rural areas, with the device lacking band 5 support.
See also: Best dual-SIM Android phones (January 2016)
The single rear speaker of the device offers a decent audio experience, but a bump in volume and a reduction in the distortion would have certainly been appreciated. That said, it is still about average for the price, and will certainly get the job done in most situations. BLU made the switch to USB Type-C with the Vivo XL, which is a very welcome, but slightly inconvenient move. You will now have to remember to carry around the charger if you need to top up the battery on the go, but the adoption of the latest standard is certainly good to see, especially with a budget smartphone.
#gallery-2
margin: auto;
#gallery-2 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-2 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-2 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The good news is that having to carry around the charger may not be required at all, with the 3,150mAh unit of Vivo XL offering excellent battery life, aided by the lower resolution display and power-efficient processing package. On average, the device would comfortably last a full day of use, if not more, with around 5.5 hours of screen-on time, and that can also be pushed to up to 6 hours with slightly lighter usage. Of course, if battery life does prove to be a concern, the battery is removable, and you always have the option of carrying around a spare.
See also: Best cheap Android phones (January 2016)
Camera
The BLU Vivo XL comes with a 13MP rear camera with phase detection auto focus and an LED flash, along with a front-facing 5MP unit. The camera performs just about as expected from a device that falls in the price range, and does quite well in ideal lighting conditions, resulting in images that are very sharp and with a lot of detail, as well as with a respectable amount of dynamic range. However, with noticeable aliasing in some images, occasional color reproduction errors, and poor low light capabilities, this camera certainly won’t outperform those found on more expensive smartphones.
As far as the camera app is concerned, the interface is quite simplistic, with ease of use being the focus here. There is a Professional Mode available though, that allows for more granular control over aspects like ISO and shutter speed. There are also a slew of other modes and features built in, but taking pictures in the normal Auto Mode is what works more than well enough in most instances.
Software
On the software side of things, the BLU Vivo XL is running Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box, with a custom skin on top. The software experience BLU offers with their smartphones has been quite fragmented across the board, but in the case of the Vivo XL, a much improved and more polished iteration is to be found. Of course, staple Android features like an app drawer and lock screen notifications are missing, but the overall experience still feels much better than what is seen with some other devices BLU’s portfolio.
In other changes from stock Android, the Quick Toggles in the notification dropdown have also been completely done away with, in favor of an Apple-esque Control Center. Many of the system UI elements are also strong deviations from stock Android, which may be disappointing for some enthusiasts. There are a few third-party apps pre-installed as well, but all of these can easily be uninstalled.
#gallery-3
margin: auto;
#gallery-3 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 33%;
#gallery-3 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-3 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
As far as software updates go, BLU has been attempting to do a better job in offering timely updates for their smartphones, but we’ll have to wait and see if and when an official update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow will be made available for the Vivo XL. That said, if running the latest versions of Android is important to you, BLU smartphones may not be the way to go anyway.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 resolution 267 ppi |
| Processor | 1.3GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6753 |
| GPU | Mali-T720 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB, microSD expansion up to 64 GB |
| Camera | 13MP rear camera 5MP front camera |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth v4.0, Hotspot, Type C-USB, FM Radio, VoLTE |
| Battery | 3,150mAh, non-removable |
| Software | Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Dimensions | 155.2 x 76.6 x 7.5mm 154 grams |
| Colors | Solid Gold, Chrome Silver, Midnight Blue, Rose Gold |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The BLU Vivo XL will be available for $149 from Best Buy, with the color options included being Solid Gold or Midnight Blue. If you have made up your mind about picking up this device, you may want to do so before January 31st, with BLU running a three day sale that brings the price of the device down to just $99.
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the BLU Vivo XL! The Vivo XL may have its issues low-end processing package, and mediocre camera. The device does also get a lot right though, with AMOLED technology more than making up for the low resolution, its excellent battery life, and the fact that users will have access to the 4G LTE networks in the US, which are all great reasons to pick up this budget-friendly phone. As mentioned, you also get to take advantage of a sale following its launch, so if you have decided to to buy this phone, now would be the best time to do so. What are your thoughts? Is the Vivo XL worth the money? Let us know what you think in the comments.
More BLU smartphones
.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;
.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;
.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;
.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;
.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;
.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;
.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;
@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;
body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;
Twitter’s week of beef is everything we all need more of
Despite rapper beefs being an unofficial feature of Twitter practically since it launched, this week alone has taken things to a new level. Less than 24 hours after Neil deGrasse-Tyson tangled with B.o.B over (of all things) whether or not the Earth is round, Kanye West decided to call out Wiz Khalifa over criticizing the title of his upcoming album and his usage of “K K” ( hit the link for a recap, but if you missed it: Kanye decided the letters were a shot at his wife, Wiz is pushing his own Khalifa Kush — things have now been settled after intervention by their ex-in-common Amber Rose.)
At turns hilarious “I went to look at your twitter and you were wearing cool pants … #Wizwearscoolpants”; dismissive “You have distracted from my creative process”; and incredibly disappointing “you let a stripper trap you”; it was a moment that not only belongs on Twitter, it belongs to Twitter. It’s time to embrace that.
For years, I’ve seen Twitter positioned as something that goes along with. Over the years services, apps and platforms have come and gone based on the idea of hosting conversation along with whatever is being broadcast. Livetweeting of events will never go away, and while that’s the kind of thing that can make watching TV better, it doesn’t especially enhance Twitter itself, or give the masses a reason to check it out. Instead, Twitter’s at its best when it is hosting the show, and there’s nothing between us and the insanity, inspiration or entertainment on the other end. The most essential conversation is what causes Neil deGrasse-Tyson to go on late night TV and drop knowledge about physics, not just the commentary during that appearance.
As Christina Warren put it, this was a moment “that can only happen on Twitter.” Appropriately, Twitter has moved to capitalize on its position at the center of real-time conversation with the feature called Moments, but it’s focusing on the wrong people. If I post on Twitter, I don’t really need Moments to organize the stream for me at all, and I definitely don’t need Twitter moving buttons around or adjusting the order of tweets. The people who need help keeping up are the folks that aren’t already on Twitter, or who peeked in and quickly abandoned its fast-flowing information stream.
@paulg the real question is why does a startup become part of YC any more ? The good old days of YC are just that
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) January 28, 2016
Whether its Kanye vs. Wiz, B.o.B. vs. NdT, Paul Carr vs. Mark Cuban or J.K. Rowling vs some random politician, this is better and more interactive than any TV show. Focus on that. What it needs is an app — not in the main Twitter app itself — that keys in on the data like this graph showing the conversations about Kanye West.
http://reverb.twitter.com/view/990805474435189342
You plug in some info about what you’re interested in, and when it starts to spike on Twitter you get an alert. No one should have to live without knowing when Steph Curry is going on a hot streak, when the Crying Jordan face photoshops have claimed their latest victim, or why anyone is waiting to find out when Justine lands.
I don’t see irrelevance as a potential issue for Twitter, years after its debut it remains the best and really only place to monitor what’s going on nearly anywhere in the world, with little or no delay. Far from just a place to experience the trashy thrill of reality TV, it’s become the meeting spot for those seeking to push for change either in their own lives or across larger groups. In 2009 Kanye said “everything that Twitter offers I need less of” — and while this week’s events prove he’s probably right about that, our reactions show the rest of us are looking for more, if Twitter can provide it.
[Image credit: KanyeUniverseCity.com via Archive.org]
Ima take these down cause it’s all about positive energy blessings blessings positive energy blessings
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) January 27, 2016
AIVAnet 
.jpg){kind=link}