An expert’s guide to enjoying Pokémon Go without trashing your battery

Pokémon Go is a battery-killer. We all know this.

Like most people, when I started Pokémon Go, I would be walking around and having to turn my screen back on every minute or so when it timed out. To fix that frustration, I went into Settings, and under Display, I cranked my Screen timeout up to 10 minutes. Then my phone would stay on forever while I was listening to music, or looking at Twitter, so I was using the power button just as much.

But there is a better way! Actually there are a few better ways.

Now, like many games, Pokémon Go needs the screen to be on for it to register your distance walked for eggs, scan for nearby Pokémon, pilfer nearby Pokéstops for much-needed Great Balls (Curveballs are killing me), and generally play the game. Most similar games that need the screen to stay on longer use FLAG_KEEP_SCREEN_ON in order to accomplish this, but Pokémon Go does not.

Well, that’s not entirely accurate. They do offer one way to leave your screen on: Battery Saver. You turn your phone upside down and the screen dims to almost black, and the phone still vibrates when a Pokémon appears or you near a Pokéstop. The problem with Battery Saver right now is a bug that causes taps to not register after you lift the phone back up, meaning that if you get a buzz, filp your screen right-side-up and see a Pokémon you wanna catch, you might tap on it and have nothing happen. Then you have to close the app and restart it, and by the time you log back in chances are that Lapras is gone. Along with your dreams.

Battery Saver also doesn’t help if you want to hold your screen up and check your direction as you walk between Lures and Gyms. So, if you want to keep your screen on longer while you’re out hunting, we’ve got some solutions for you.

The Easy Ways

If you don’t mind leaving your screen timeout high all the time, you can go into Settings. Under Display (or Display and Notification on some devices), you can change the Screen timeout to 1 hour, or Never, should that be an option on your particular phone. If you’ve got Developer options turned on, you can also use the Stay awake feature to keep the screen on while charging. But if you get tired of having it cranked up all the time like I did, we have some other solutions for you.

There are a variety of settings widgets you can place on your home screen to manually toggle before and after gaming sessions like Power Toggles or HD widgets. You can add one of the customizable widgets to your home screen, maybe right next to the shortcut for Pokémon Go, then simply hit the toggle before you open the app. Then hit the toggle again once you leave the app.

There are also dedicated apps like Wakey that will keep the screen on in certain designated apps, though you will need to get the $1.49 Premium upgrade. Wakey also has features to crank up your brightness while it’s enabled and to keep your screen on while you’re charging, which is something a lot of us end up needing to do while we’re hunting.

Speaking of charging while on the hunt, check out some of our favorites! And if you’re going to be playing plugged in, you might want to rotate the screen to allow you a better grip while you play. Well, Pokémon Go is optimized for portrait, but using a rotation app like Ultimate Rotation Control, you can rotate your phone to the side — or better yet, rotate the device 180 degrees and keep on playing in portrait.

The hard way

But if you’re not afraid to get technical, I recommend Tasker. For those unfamiliar with the handy app, it’s a lot like IFTTT, if IFTTT could do more than one thing at a time and do way more things than it does. Tasker is an app where you can program tasks and then trigger them manually or have the phone execute them automatically with Profiles based on a number of factors or contexts. If you haven’t played with it before, it’s quite fun once you get over the learning curve. Plus, making a profile to keep the screen on during Pokémon Go is a great way to introduce you to the app as it’s a nice, easy recipe.

Open Tasker.
In the Profiles tab, tap the New Profile button (+) in the bottom right corner.
Select App for a profile based on when an app is open.
Scroll down and select Pokémon Go
Finish your app selection by tapping the Tasker icon in the top left corner.

Add a task to your profile so that when your profile activates it does something. We’ll add a New Task as we haven’t made any tasks before.
Tap the New Action button (+) in the bottom center of the screen. Title the task whatever you want.
Using the search bar, find and select Display Timeout.
Increase the time for the Display Timeout to the desired length. I prefer 30 minutes, but make it as short or long as you need. Just try to make it a timeout length that you could find if you manually set the timeout in the Settings app.
Finish the action and go back by tapping the Tasker icon in the top left corner.
Finish the task and go back by tapping the Tasker icon in the top left corner again.
Long-press the task task we just added to the profile. We’re going to Add Exit Task so that we change our screen timeout back a decent length whenever we leave the app.

Select New Task to create our exit task. Title it whatever you want.
Tap the New Action button (+) in the bottom center of the screen. Title the task whatever you want.
Using the search bar, find and select Display Timeout.
Set the time for the Display Timeout to the desired length. I prefer 30 seconds, but make it as short or long as you prefer. Just try to make it a timeout length that you could find if you manually set the timeout in the Settings app.
Finish the action and go back by tapping the Tasker icon in the top left corner.
Finish the task and go back by tapping the Tasker icon in the top left corner again.
Exit the app to ensure your changes take.

You could add several other settings to this profile as well, such as turning on Priority mode to limit distractions or cranking up the brightness if you typically hunt in the afternoon sun. You could even have two Pokémon Go profiles that activate based on the time of day, one brightening and one dimming the screen. Use a time-based context in addition to the app context used in the basic profile.

So, what settings and apps do you use while you’re out hunting Pokémon and hatching eggs? Share your setup in the comments below, and as always, happy hunting!

Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 hopes to protect your phone from longer drops

Corning has revealed Gorilla Glass 5, the next version of the company’s smartphone display glass. Corning claims that phones with Gorilla Glass 5 will survive being dropped from up to 1.6 meters 80% of the time.

Previous versions of Gorilla Glass have been used in smartphones from Samsung, HTC, LG and other OEMs. According to The Verge:

Internal research done conducted by Corning showed that 85 percent of smartphone owners have dropped their phones at least once in the past year, and that two-thirds of those drops happening from waist height to shoulder height. So while previous versions of the Glass may have been strong, it wasn’t necessarily as durable if you dropped your phone while pulling it from your pocket or while taking a photo. And rough surfaces are particularly brutal for delicate smartphones, so much of Corning’s research and development of the new glass involved drops on rough surfaces and sharp contact damage.

Production of Gorilla Glass 5 has already started, according to Corning, and it’s likely the first smartphones with its improved display will be shipping later this year.

Win this HTC 10 from Android Central!

We had so much fun with our last giveaway, we decided to do it again! The HTC 10 is unquestionably HTC’s best phone ever. It’s also a great Android phone in its own right, with an attractive metal unibody, top-notch audio credentials, fast and uncluttered software, speedy fingerprint security and a camera capable of taking great photos. We’ve gotten our hands on a second HTC 10 for one of you, so head on down and get yourself entered!

THE PRIZE One lucky Android Central reader will be taking home a brand new HTC 10!

THE GIVEAWAY Head down to the widget at the bottom of this page. There are multiple ways to enter, each with varying point values. Complete all of the tasks for maximum entries and your best shot at winning! Keep in mind that all winning entries are verified and if the task was not completed or cannot be verified, a new winner will be chosen. The giveaway is open until August 1st, and winner will be announced here shortly after the close date. Good luck!

Win this HTC 10 from Android
Central!

Please note that service is not included with the phone. Also, this is an international contest. In the event that the winner resides outside of the United States, the prize maybe be subject to duties and taxes, which are the responsibility of the winner.

Plex is now available in beta on Sonos

If you use both Plex and Sonos, it’s time to rejoice! Both services now work together — at least in beta form — so you can start streaming your Plex-managed audio collection over your wireless speaker setup right from the Sonos controller app.

From Plex:

With our brand new Sonos service, you can now browse and play your entire Plex music collection on any Sonos device, right from the Sonos app. This means you’ll benefit from our awesome library and discovery features, and your personal music will look better than ever on Sonos.

If you’re a Plex user with a couple of Sonos speakers lying around, you’ll currently have to be enrolled in Sonos’ public beta to start streaming your Plex library through your setup. Luckily, Plex has provided detailed instructions on getting set up to test everything. Otherwise, once you’re enrolled, you should find Plex available in the Sonos Labs section of the app.

Watch Phil talk Moto Z, Android N Preview 5 and more on All About Android 275

If you happened to miss the live recording, you can now check out the replay of All About Android 275. In this episode, our own Phil Nickinson joins Florence Ion and Ron Richards to talk Moto Z, the fifth Android N Developer Preview, the VR set that Google has apparently killed (or not) and more.

The discussion gets pretty interesting, so if you like listening to Android-related conversation, you won’t want to miss this. As always, a special thanks to Ron Richards and team for having us on the show! Be sure to check it out below and let us know what recent news has you excited.

More: Watch All About Android episode 275

Sony announces Z Series 4K TVs, brings Bravia 4K HDR TVs to Europe

Sony has introduced a new flagship line of 4K LCD TVs, called the Z Series, and it’s bringing five Bravia 4K HDR TVs to major UK and Irish retailers.

Starting with the Z Series, which now sits above the X Series in terms of display quality, it includes high-dynamic range (HDR) and a 4K image processor for better contrast and colour accuracy. Sets in the series run on Google’s Android TV platform, with a custom interface overlaid by Sony. The line starts at $6,999. It has three models: the 65-inch XBR65Z9D, 75-inch XBR75Z9D, and 100-inch XBR100Z9D.

The 75-inch set will go for $9,999. You can now pre-order the 65- and 75-inch models, and they should begin shipping later this summer. The 100-inch model doesn’t yet have a price tag nor availability details. All three models will support HDR10 rather than Dolby Vision.

• What is 4K HDR and how will it change your TV?
• Sony XD9405 4K TV review: The 75-inch UHD wonder
• 8 reasons Sony Bravia TVs are setting the pace in 2016

Sony

As for those Bravia 4K HDR TVs, the XD83, XD80, XD70, XD75, and SD80 models are coming to parts of Europe, Sony has confirmed. They offer a 4K-viewing experience, of course, as well as near 4K quality up-conversion from HD sources. And they run Android TV.

Here’s pricing and size information for the the sets by series:

• 43-inch XD83 will go for £900
• 49-inch XD83 will go for £1,100
• 43-inch XD80 will go for £850
• 49-inch XD80 will go for £1,000
• 55-inch XD80 will go for £1,300
• 49-inch XD70 will go for £800
• 55-inch XD70 will go for £1,000
• 65-inch XD75 will go for £1,700
• 50-inch SD80 will go for £1,200

These Bravia 4K HDR TVs will be available in the UK and Ireland “soon”.

Plex now lets you play music on any Sonos device from the Sonos app

Media streaming server Plex on Wednesday announced support for Sonos.

This integration basically allows Sonos customers to access their Plex libraries from the Sonos app in order to stream media to their Sonos speaker setups. And anyone with a Plex Pass will find their music collections “automatically organised via metadata and sonic fingerprinting,” while a new feature called “Plex Mix” will be limited to premium users through the Sonos app.

• Sonos finally gets full Apple Music support at last
• Sonos: What is it and what are the alternatives?
• Getting started with Plex for Xbox One

Plex posted this description about how this integration works via its blog: 

“With our brand new Sonos service, you can now browse and play your entire Plex music collection on any Sonos device, right from the Sonos app. This means you’ll benefit from our awesome library and discovery features, and your personal music will look better than ever on Sonos. Even if your collection is a total mess, with sonic fingerprinting for our Plex Pass users and metadata for everyone else, you’ll end up with a beautifully organized library.”

The Plex media server, which is available to install on Mac, Windows, Linux, and NAS devices, automatically organises your media, such as video, music, and photos, and then it makes that content accessible through apps for phones, tablets, and TV devices. Now, you’ll be able to access your Plex library from Sonos speakers as well as a remote Sonos device. 

You can learn more about Plex works from here. If any of this interests you, you can get started with Plex in the Sonos app right now, but first you need to sign up for the Sonos beta program.

Moog’s Minimoog Model D back in full production after 30 years

After suspending production for over 30 years on its classic Minimoog Model D analog synth, Moog has announced the instrument is back. The company had a small pilot production workshop at Moogfest in May, but now Model D production has kicked into high gear. However, just like other Moog synthesizers, all of the instruments are made in a small Asheville, North Carolina factory, so the company can only crank out a limited number of them each month. If you’re looking to snag one though, it’ll set you back $3,749 from an authorized dealer.

So, what’s so special about the Model D? Well, when it debuted in the 1970s, it was the first portable analog synth and laid the groundwork for what would eventually become electronic keyboards. Before then, the instruments were massive setups akin to what Keith Emerson used on stage with Emerson, Lake and Palmer. You’ve probably heard the Model D’s sounds from acts like Parliament Funkadelic, Kraftwerk and Gary Numan or on Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Dr. Dre’s The Chronic.

Moog says the original sound engine and signal path form the Model D are unchanged from the instrument that debuted in the 1970s. However, there have been some modifications to the unit that offer some more modern functionality. The list of features includes a velocity-sensitive keyboard, analog LFO with both triangle and square waveshapes, CV outputs, basic MIDI integration and a mixer overload modification. When employed, that mixer overload gives the Minimoog Model D “thicker and far more overdriven sounds” than the original. If you have the funds to spare, you might have to wait a while to get one, but analog enthusiasts will surely be champing at the bit to have one of these of their own.

Source: Moog