8 essential IFTTT recipes for every Android user – CNET
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IFTTT, the online connection service, now works with hundreds of different services and devices, connecting them to break the language barrier and help them work together.
While both major mobile platforms — Android and iOS — have their own collection of dedicated channels, you can go a bit further and accomplish a little more with IFTTT on Android.
Here are some of the most useful IFTTT recipes every Android user can enjoy — you’ll just need to login to your IFTTT account.
Find a lost phone
With the Android Device channel, you can do things like toggle Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and set ringtone volume. You can launch Google Maps or play some music, as well.
Using this channel, you can find your phone, even when it’s on silent by creating a recipe that will set the ringtone volume to max when you email trigger@recipe.ifttt.com with “#lostphone” in the subject. After the recipe runs, you can give yourself a call (or have a friend call you) to locate your phone.
Mute or unmute at work
If you don’t want your phone ringing at work, you can use the Android Location channel to create a geofence around your work address. Whenever you enter the area, your phone will got silent and, with a second recipe, you can restore your ringtone volume when you exit the same geofence.
Turn off lights when you leave your house
Using the same Android Location channel, you can automate your smart home using IFTTT. Many companion applications for smart home devices come with location preferences built-in, but if you want to control all your geofencing triggers from one place, IFTTT is the place to do just that.
Create a couple of recipes like the one above using the Android Location channel and your smart home channels to have devices turn on and off as you come and go.
Turn on Wi-Fi when you arrive home
To cut down on your monthly data usage, it’s wise to toggle Wi-Fi on when you arrive home. The problem is, it’s very easy to forget to do.
To do this automatically, create a new recipe with the Android Location channel for the trigger and the Android Device channel as the action. Set a geofence around your home address and have the recipe Turn on Wi-Fi whenever you enter the geofence.
Missed call reminder
If you have a habit of dismissing missed calls and never returning them, you can use the Android Phone Call channel to add missed calls to your task manager of choice, be it Google Calendar, Todoist, Evernote or whatever.
Start by connecting the Android Phone Call channel and creating a recipe. Choose Any phone call missed as the trigger. The second half of the recipe should create a new task in your task manager.
Missed call SMS
I’m not big on voicemail anymore. Frankly, I don’t know many people who are, but I still get them all the time. To avoid ever having to check your voicemail again, you can have IFTTT automatically send callers an SMS explaining you will return their call once you’re available.
To set this up, create a recipe using the Android Phone Call channel and select Any phone call missed as the trigger. Select the Android SMS channel and Send an SMS as the action. For the phone number, enter FromNumber to send a message to the person whose call you missed, and in the Message field, type out a short (yet personal) message that won’t seem too much like a canned response.
Battery saver
If you need to save battery, there is now an Android Battery channel. You can select between Battery drops below 15 percent, Device is plugged in and Device is unplugged as triggers.
To save some juice, for example, you can create a recipe that switches off Bluetooth or Wi-Fi when your phone’s battery drops below 15 percent.
Set wallpaper
You can spice up your Android device’s wallpaper using a number of different sources, such as 500px Editors’ Choice, the hottest pictures from your favorite subreddit or NASA’s image of the day. First, pick the source you would like to use for your wallpapers.
To create the recipe, choose the wallpaper source as the trigger channel (e.g. NASA’s image of the day) and Android Device as the action channel. Select change wallpaper as the action, and the URL should already be set. The next time the source you chose is updated or changed, the wallpaper on your Android device will also change.
2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid review – Roadshow
The Good All-wheel-drive comes standard in the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and it averages over 30 mpg. Toyota’s Entune Apps integrates online search and third party services into the navigation system.
The Bad The navigation system is not very aggressive about avoiding traffic, and Toyota does not yet support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Adaptive cruise control doesn’t work for stop-and-go traffic.
The Bottom Line Although the dashboard electronics and driver assistance systems fall behind the cutting edge, the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid makes for an excellent all-around car due to its cargo versatility, all-wheel-drive, comfort and fuel economy.
For many drivers, small SUVs make for a perfect everyday vehicle, economical enough for commuting and offering more useful cargo space than midsize sedans, extending their use for weekend recreation. In fact, sales figures back up the rise of the small SUV on US roads, with Ford noting its Escape model as its second best selling vehicle.
Entering the scene in 1994, Toyota’s RAV4 pioneered its segment. Now this small SUV gets Toyota’s ultra-efficient hybrid drive system, making it a killer everyday vehicle. Consider its standard all-wheel drive, and you’ve just about hit perfection.
Although it isn’t a serious off-roader, I was impressed by the lifted nose of the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, although faux skid plates under front and back are a bit much. The sides of the RAV4 Hybrid show similar sculpting to its bigger brother, the Highlander, but the narrow grille looks petite by comparison. Saddle-brown leather seating, in this Limited trim RAV4 Hybrid, gave the cabin luxury style.
Standard all-wheel-drive and fuel economy averaging above 30 mpg makes the RAV4 Hybrid a car for city and country.
Wayne Cunningham/Roadshow
Camry traits
Although the RAV4 Hybrid uses the same engine as the Camry Hybrid, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, it gets a more complicated hybrid drive system, adding a second drive motor to the rear wheels for all-wheel drive. And that comes standard.
Otherwise, the RAV4 Hybrid uses the same 245-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack as the Camry Hybrid, a little less sophisticated than the lithium ion battery pack in the new Prius. Toyota notes the overall drive system output of 194 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque for the RAV4 Hybrid, and fuel economy of 34 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. The hilly roads of San Francisco and its environs took a toll on my mileage, as I didn’t break 30 mpg until I drove a an hour on a flat highway.
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As with other hybrids in the Toyota stable, the RAV4 Hybrid mixed its engine and motor power seamlessly as I drove. The car rewarded gentle throttle pressure with an EV icon lighting up on the instrument cluster, meaning it had entered electric drive mode, although the nearly 4,000 pound curb weight of the car made that lighted icon a rare occurrence when taking off from a stop.
More frequently I would see that icon light up when I held a steady pace on a flat road. On hill descents I was gratified by the needle on the RAV4 Hybrid’s power gauge entering the charge zone, as regenerative braking recharged the car’s battery and minimized wear on brake pads.
The RAV4 Hybrid also features driver-selectable sport, eco and EV modes, the first two sharpening or detuning the throttle. I’m not a fan of drive modes in a car like this, but they can serve to customize the car’s response for different drivers. EV mode drives the car under electricity only for as long as the battery can hold out, but even on a full charge that won’t be much more than a mile.
The lifted nose looks good on the RAV4 Hybrid, and would benefit approach angles if this car were a real offroader.
Wayne Cunningham/Roadshow
Comfort and quiet
Over some bumpy roads, the RAV4 Hybrid could feel a little bouncy, but most of the time the suspension delivered a very competent ride. While short of luxury, it felt very comfortable on most road surfaces, complementing its smooth ride with minimal road noise. Given the hybrid drivetrain, I rarely heard any engine noise.
Adding to the RAV4 Hybrid’s suitability for long highway trips, its electric power steering left a little play at center, a comfort zone where I needn’t constantly be adjusting input. When actually in a turn, the wheel assumed a more responsive character.
That steering is tied to a lane keeping assist function, standard with the RAV4 Hybrid’s Limited trim, actively preventing lane drift. Trying out the system on the freeway, I found its programming very conservative. Rather than keeping the car center in its lane, as with more aggressive systems, it only stepped in once my wheels were running over the lane lines. And when I kept a loose grasp on the wheel to allow lane drift, the car very quickly warned me to take a stronger hold on the steering.
Garmin Forerunner 735XT Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Sarah Tew/CNET
Garmin on Wednesday announced its newest training watch, the Forerunner 735XT. The GPS-equipped sport watch appears to be the successor to the Forerunner 920XT and is designed for multisport athletes, specifically those who compete in triathlons.
The watch is similar to the Forerunner 235, which is a good thing given that it’s my favorite running watch. It features a built-in optical heart-rate sensor and includes GPS, all-day activity tracking for things like steps and calories burned, and can show notifications from an iPhone or Android smartphone. It also includes access to Connect IQ, Garmin’s third-party app store that lets you download watch faces, widgets and apps.
In addition to running, the 735XT can track cycling, swimming, hiking, cross country skiing, strength training, paddle boarding and cardio. There’s also a special multisport mode for triathlons that can be programmed to automatically change sport profiles. Another noteworthy feature is that the 735XT will be the first watch to come with Strava’s Live Suffer Score app preinstalled. The Suffer Score is calculated based on your heart rate and can determine how hard your workout was.
Sarah Tew/CNET
As with its predecessor, the watch is compatible with Garmin’s Vector pedal-based power meter system and its various Varia cycling accessories. It can also be paired with the company’s HRM heart rate strap to provide advanced running dynamics and measure things like stride length, ground contact time balance, vertical ratio and more.
As with all of Garmin’s watches, the 735XT can be worn both in the shower and while swimming, thanks to the 5 ATM water-resistant rating. In the water, the watch can measure distance, pace, stroke count, stroke rate and more. Battery life is said to be up 14 hours with an active GPS signal or up to 11 days in watch and activity tracking mode.
The Forerunner 735XT is available now for $450. You can also pick up a running bundle that includes the advanced HRM-Run strap for $500 or a special tri-bundle that include both an HRM-Tri and waterproof HRM-Swim strap for $600.
Nintendo’s upcoming Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem titles will be freemium games
Nintendo will release Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem on phones for free, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. The two titles are expected to be released later this year and will mark the first games published by Nintendo on iOS and Android after Miitomo.
The publication notes that pricing for the games was revealed by Nintendo’s mobile partner and Tokyo-based DeNA, which also worked with the company on Miimoto. It’s likely there will be in-game purchases for players to invest in once they’ve downloaded the titles for free.
We’ll have more details closer to the launch of Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem on smartphones.
T-Mobile is offering a free rapid charger and Ice View case with purchase of HTC 10 before May 24
For a limited time, T-Mobile will be offering those who purchase the HTC 10 a free HTC Rapid Charger and the HTC Ice View case for free, a $85 value. This offer is quite enticing, as the rapid charger will let you top up your battery in a short amount of time, so you never have to worry if you will have enough power or now. The Ice View case adds style and protection to the phone, which is great for any new investment.
From T-Mobile’s announcement:
Anyone that buys the HTC 10 at the Un-carrier can get an HTC Rapid Charger and an HTC Ice View case ($85 total value) for FREE when they purchase between May 18th and May 24th, while supplies last.
If you are thinking about getting the HTC 10 from T-Mobile, make sure that you try and get it early to get the goodies with it. The carrier will be offering it for $0 down and $28.34 a month for 24 months, or $679 upfront.
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- HTC 10 review
- HTC 10 specs
- These are the HTC 10 colors
- Our first photo and video samples
- Meet the Ice View case
- Join our HTC 10 forums
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Republic Wireless adding support for Nexus 6P, Galaxy S7 edge, Moto X Pure Edition and more
Republic Wireless has announced some big changes to its network and phone selection, giving customers more options for high-end phones. The company is moving away from a custom firmware solution, and instead making use of a new technology, which it is calling RW 3.0. This will allow the carrier to push updates to its service and apps through Google Play for a quicker update process and better experience. It will also allow you to buy your phone unlocked from wherever you chose and still use it with their service.
From Republic Wireless’ announcement of the changes:
It’s because of these three truths that my teammates and I are so incredibly excited to share that we are adding seven (yes, SEVEN!) of the latest smartphones from four of the top five Android manufacturers to our portfolio (you can either buy them from us, aided by device financing if helpful, or you can bring your own new or used version of these seven devices as well). Furthermore, a second of the four national cellular carriers has agreed to join the Republic WiFi first party, and as a result these new devices will be available on our new GSM cellular network partner, who boasts the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network. Finally, we’ve come up with a new approach for our technology that will allow us to offer more devices sooner and get software updates deployed quicker.
The new technology allows you to take an approved unlocked phone, like the Galaxy S6, and pop a Republic Wireless SIM card in it, download their app and have a great experience. You are no longer tied to needing the custom firmware that Republic was building on its own, as this is independent of that. The catch is that RW 3.0 only works on Marshmallow as well as future releases. Republic will not be able to port this technology to phones running on Lollipop or below.
Republic Wireless says the new phones will be available starting in July. The carrier will also offer financing options for those who make their purchases directly from Republic.
See at Republic Wireless
Clarkson, Hammond and May’s new Amazon motor show has a name — The Grand Tour!
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May now have a name for the new Amazon motor show. Prepare your streaming-enabled devices for The Grand Tour! It was decided that because the trio will be heading worldwide, The Grand Tour is rather fitting. Interestingly, the Amazon show that will take on BBC’s relaunched Top Gear will also house audiences in tents at a different location each week. If you’ve never been to a live show, this may unlock that possibility.
Amazon customers are said to have the opportunity to be in the audience when tickets are released through prize draws this summer. You’ll need to have an active Amazon Prime subscription to be able to watch the new series, but there’s a 30-day trial available should you wish to take advantage of other offerings until the show hits the online world, not to mention free Prime delivery and other cool premium benefits.
The Grand Tour even has its own website now too. You can keep up-to-date with all things Hammond, May and Clarkson before the show kicks off.
Instagram introduces revamped design and a colorful new icon
Instagram is now rolling out its first major redesign in years, and in line with previous reports, it’s ditched its colorful interface in favor of a black and white motif, putting more of an emphasis on your photos and videos. In addition to the new app design, Instagram is also changing its icon for the first time, along with the icons of its secondary apps Layout and Boomerang.
From Instagram:
Today we’re introducing a new look. You’ll see an updated icon and app design for Instagram. Inspired by the previous app icon, the new one represents a simpler camera and the rainbow lives on in gradient form. You’ll also see updated icons for our other creative apps: Layout, Boomerang and Hyperlapse.
We’ve made improvements to how the Instagram app looks on the inside as well. The simpler design puts more focus on your photos and videos without changing how you navigate the app.
The latest version of Instagram should be rolling out on the Google Play Store
TripIt update adds Android Wear support, slightly refreshed app design
Longtime front runner in the travel app space TripIt is releasing a fresh update to its Android app today that includes Android Wear support. With the latest update, TripIt users will get all of the time-sensitive travel info they need right on their Android Wear watch, from pre-departure flight updates to gate information and onward travel arrangements when you arrive at your destination.
TripIt is also leveraging the always-ready nature of Android Wear to introduce its new flight countdown timer, which will show a countdown to when your flight departs, and then a countdown to when the flight lands once you’re in the air. TripIt Pro users naturally get even more alerts on their wrist.
TripIt has been (often rightly) criticized for the less-than-modern design of its Android app, and not a whole lot has changed on that front in this release despite the big feature addition of Android Wear support. There are some subtle design changes in store for you when you grab the latest version of TripIt, including a new floating action button, improved icons, and a new tabbed design to better separate trips and a better first-launch experience.
The rest of the improvements are more functional than visual, with the new version adding the ability to merge and move plans between trips, and more quickly map locations and find directions.
The latest version of TripIt is now available from Google Play, and if you want to take a look at the free version before deciding on the service you can grab that first as well.
Garmin Forerunner 735XT shows that sports watches can be sleek too
Garmin has unveiled a top of the range running and multisports watch that features heart rate monitoring yet is sleek on the wrist.
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT is lightweight and has 24/7 Elevate heart rate monitoring built-in. It also has GPS – after all, this is Garmin – and has the Strava Live Suffer Score app pre-installed so heart rate data can be used to track how hard a wearer has been training.
It is usable for a large array of different activities, including running, cycling, swimming, hiking, XC skiing and more.
The watch is waterproof to 50 metres so can be used with paddle sports too.
It is Connect IQ compatible, which offers other applications to download through the dedicated store for customisation. Both amateurs and professionals can therefore adapt the watch to their own specifications and sport.
The Forerunner 735XT automatically syncs with Garmin Connect throughout the day, which stores tracking data online. And it is capable of controlling music playback on a connected phone, as well as receive notifications, including incoming calls, texts and emails through Bluetooth.
Because of the built-in GPS though, you could go on a run, for example, without your phone.
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT will be available soon in black and grey or midnight blue and frost blue for £359.99. It will also come with HRM-Run in a bundle for £389.99 or a tri-bundle including HRM-Tri and HRM-Swim for £449.99.
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