How to enable Night Mode on your Nexus in Android 7.0 Nougat
How do I enable Night Mode in Android 7.0 Nougat on a Nexus device?
During the Android 7.0 Nougat Developer Preview, Google experimented with a system-wide Night Mode that offered a number of improvements to compatible Nexus phones to allow them to work better at night and in other low-light situations. Unfortunately for tinkerers (but completely understandable for a variety of reasons), that mode was hidden in the run-up to Nougat’s release — but with a little help you can get at least some of those features back.
While the overall dark theme is not available, Nexus devices running Nougat (5X, 6, 6P, 9, Pixel C) can activate a handy blue light filter similar to the one found on the Galaxy Note 7. Here’s how.
How to get Night Mode on Android 7.0 Nougat
Open Google Play Store.
Tap Search bar.
Enter Night Mode Enabler. Press Install.
Return to home screen.
Pull down on Notification Shade.
Pull down again to enter Quick Settings.
Hold down on Settings icon (cog icon). You should feel a vibration and see a message saying, “Congrats! System UI Tuner has been added to Settings.”
Return to home screen.
Open Night Mode Enabler app.
Tap Enable Night Mode.
Toggle Night Mode to on.
Toggle Adjust tint to enable blue-light filter.
That’s it! Now you have what’s remaining of Night Mode in Nougat. This certainly isn’t the ambitious system-wide dark theme that many people wanted when it was first previewed, but this is really useful nonetheless.
Android 7.0 Nougat
- Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
- Will my phone get Android Nougat?
- All Android Nougat news
- How to manually update your Nexus
- Join the Discussion
Privacy groups call foul on WhatsApp sharing data with Facebook
WhatsApp’s new terms-of-service are causing quite a stir among privacy advocates. Yesterday, the company announced it would begin sharing user phone numbers, profile data, status message and online status with Facebook, its parent company — a change that the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) claims violates a Federal Trade Commission consent order.
Specifically, the privacy group says it’s planning to file a complaint against the companies for violating statues of the Federal Trade Commission act that warns against “unfair or deceptive acts or practices.” Here, EPIC is accusing WhatsApp of lying to users when it promised its 2014 sale to Facebook wouldn’t effect it’s privacy policy — which pledged never to share or sell “personally identifiable information” like the phone number, name and profile data shared under the new policy.
WhatsApp says it needs to share limited data with Facebook to test out new features designed to help users “communicate with business,” such as receiving fraud notifications from a bank or flight delays from airline companies. WhatsApp also maintains that all messages will still be completely encrypted, and unreadable by both Facebook and WhatsApp staff.
Users also have up to 30 days to opt-out of the sharing portion of the new terms-of-service, but according to EPIC, that doesn’t protect the companies from the FTC’s consent order. The order apparently requires the company to obtain an opt-in consent before asking them to agree to the new terms. WhatsApp does technically offer an opt-in option, but it’s not clear how to access it: one must click “read” to view the terms-of-service agreement before the opt-in checkbox appears.
It may sound like privacy groups are splitting hairs, but how user data is handled can have unforeseen legal consequences. It’s not just special interest groups who are concerned — The United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner is also investigating the WhatsApp policy change to ensure it complies with the Data Protection Act. It’s a complicated little mess, but Facebook, at least, is confident it’s on the right side of the law. “WhatsApp complies with applicable laws,” a spokesperson said in a Motherboard interview. “As always, we consider our obligations when designing updates like this.”
Source: EPIC, Motherboard, BBC
The Public Access Weekly: Everyday robots
Tomorrow is International Cosplay Day, so a quick shout-out to all you creative folks out there who spend so much time stitching together costumes to bring fantasy to life: Y’all are rad! It is very cool to see the myriad ways in which people bring their favorite fictional characters to life, and I have complete respect for the time, dedication and imagination that it takes to cosplay. If any of you are planning on participating, we would love to see pictures and hear about any events you attended!
Additionally, and I really, REALLY shouldn’t have to say this (or get shouty about it) but don’t post things on Public Access if you haven’t written them. We do not, ever, in any-freaking-way tolerate plagiarism — and yes, rephrasing someone else’s article word-for-word counts as plagiarism. If you are posting an article for someone else, their name is the only name that should appear in the byline field. If we discover that your article has been plagiarized, we will pull your post and revoke your membership to Public Access immediately. We have a one-strike policy against plagiarism, because seriously, stealing someone else’s work is a crappy thing to do.
Looking for something to read? Check out:
A lot of people have opinions on Uber, Lyft and the way those companies are impacting the taxi industry. To whit, Massachusetts’ governor recently enacted a law that will charge the services 20 cents which will go to infrastructure — and to the taxi industry, meaning ridesharing companies will be directly funding the taxi’s they’re disrupting. It’s an interesting tactic, and plenty of folks are weighing in with their two cents in the comments.
This article — on a study that showed people prefer robots that are capable of expressions while also demonstrating that people will lie to a robot to avoid ‘hurting its feelings’ — is provoking some interesting comments and discussions about humans, empathy and machines.
Virtual reality is the hot new technology on the horizon, with the industry diving in deep to AR and VR hardware, applications and use cases. However, it seems that a majority of VR developers are throwing their weight behind the HTC Vive — and not the Oculus Rift, which is Facebook’s contender. Don’t miss the debate in the comments about the various drawbacks merits of each offering, and how other VR headsets may factor in.
Looking for something to write about? Mull over:
In honor of this Xbox Onesie that may (or may not) go on sale in Australia, tell us about your geekiest article of clothing. What is it, where did you get it, and why did you buy it? Also, you all know the rule: Pics or it didn’t happen.
One of the only games I’ve played recently was Limbo — a game rated “T” meaning its appropriate for those at a teen age level and above. And this article about the recent crop of YA games has me excited to play some new titles. If you play YA games, or games technically intended for a younger audience, tell us what you enjoy about them and share some of your favorite titles. Alternatively, write up a review of the last YA-style game you played.
Here’s one to really chew on: Have you ever wanted to quit the Internet? Has there ever been an online experience that made you just want to throw up your hands and walk away from the whole damn thing? Tell us about it – what happened, how it made you feel and what made you come back online?
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy S7 Edge
Unlike last year, a Plus variant of the Galaxy S7 Edge was no longer necessary, with the display size of the device being bumped up to 5.5-inches. Instead, Samsung decided to incorporate the dual curved edge display feature into the Galaxy Note series, with the Galaxy Note 7.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review
Samsung has always managed to maintain some separation between the Note line and the Galaxy S series, but things being more similar than ever between the two has led to a lot of people to dismiss the Galaxy Note 7 as a Galaxy S7 Edge with an S-Pen. Is that really a fair way to assess the Galaxy Note 7, and are there significant differences between the two Samsung flagships? That’s what we aim to find out, in this in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy S7 Edge!
Buy the Galaxy Note 7!
Buy the Galaxy S7 Edge!
Design
There are obviously a lot of similarities between the Galaxy Note 7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge, and that starts with the design and build quality. Both smartphones feature a metal and glass unibody construction, and with the Galaxy Note 7 also coming with a curved display, they do look and feel very similar.
Of course, this is by no means a bad thing, and what you get are two beautifully designed smartphones that feel extremely solid in the hand. However, as is the case with any smartphone that features a glass backing, both devices are fingerprint magnets, and you do have to wipe them down continuously to keep these phones looking pristine.
While the Galaxy Note 7 does borrow heavily from the design language of its flagship counterpart, Samsung has managed to further refine the design with the former. While the curved edges on the front of the Galaxy Note 7 are noticeable, they are not as drastic as what is seen with the Galaxy S7 Edge, and does help avoid accidental presses with your palm or fingers.
The metal frame has also been more seamlessly integrated into the glass of the Galaxy Note 7, making the phone feel like an unified piece of hardware. While this may seem like a minor design element, it actually makes a huge difference when considering how much smoother and more comfortable the device feels in the hand. Of course, the Galaxy S7 Edge does feel incredible as well, but the Galaxy Note 7 takes it to another level, and how Samsung continues to improve the metal and glass design with every flagship is certainly very impressive.
The Galaxy Note 7 is the larger of the two smartphones, but not by much, and the curved glass allowed for it to be smaller than its predecessors, despite featuring the same display size. One difference between the two devices, that isn’t easily seen, is that Galaxy Note 7 is protected with Gorilla Glass 5 panels, an upgrade from the Gorilla Glass 4 that is found with the Galaxy S7 Edge. Granted, there is some controversy surrounding this with regards to its scratch resistance, but overall, it is supposed to be the stronger and more durable of the two.
The rest of the design elements of both the Galaxy Note 7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge are typical Samsung. The power button and volume rocker are on the right and left sides respectively, and up top is the SIM card slot, with the SIM tray also housing a section for a microSD card. On the bottom is the headphone jack and single speaker unit, and with the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung has finally made the move to a USB Type-C port from the standard microUSB that is found with the Galaxy S7 Edge.
The Galaxy Note 7 also has a slot at the bottom that houses the S-Pen, and in case you were wondering, Samsung has re-designed the S-Pen to make it impossible for it to slide into the slot the wrong way.
Display
The Galaxy Note 7 comes with a larger 5.7-inch display, compared to the 5.5-inch screen of the Galaxy S7 Edge, but other than the slight difference in size, these displays are practically identical. Both are Super AMOLED screens with a Quad HD resolution, resulting in both being extremely sharp, and offering colors that are vibrant and saturated, along with deep inky blacks.
Samsung’s display prowess is well known at this point, and it’s not surprising that both devices feature stunning displays, making doing anything, from watching videos, browsing the web, or playing games, an absolute joy on either smartphone.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 does offer an interesting feature, and that is support for streaming HDR content, which makes watching movies and TV shows, on Amazon Video or Netflix for example, even more enjoyable, on this already bright and beautiful display. This is something you really have to see in person to truly appreciate, and things will only get better, as more and more HDR titles are released.
Another really useful feature of the Galaxy Note 7 is the ability to downscale the display resolution to 1080p, or even 720p, to get that little bit of extra juice out of the battery.
Performance
Under the hood, both smartphones come with the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, that is backed by the Adreno 530 GPU and 4 GB of RAM. Depending on the market, and Exynos 8890 variant of both smartphones are available as well. With the same processing package and software package, the day to day performance you get with both is understandably identical as well.
While some may be disappointed with the fact the Galaxy Note 7 doesn’t feature an upgraded processor or more RAM, the available setup is definitely plenty powerful. Both smartphones are blazing fast, and everything, from opening, closing and switching between apps, to processor-intensive gaming, is easily handled. There also finally some Vulkan-supported game titles available on the Google Play Store, allowing for superior graphics and gameplay on both the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.
Hardware
While the Galaxy S7 Edge is available in 32 GB and 64 GB variants, 64 GB is the only on-board storage option available with the Galaxy Note 7. If storage is still a concern, both smartphones also offer expandable storage via microSD card, up to an additional 256 GB. In some markets, both smartphones come with dual SIM capabilities, but since a hybrid slot is utilized, users will have to choose with dual SIM or expandable storage.
Right below the display of both smartphones is a fingerprint scanner that is embedded into the physical home button. At this point, we are all aware of how well Samsung’s fingerprint sensors work, and in both cases, they are fast, accurate, and reliable, and provide a nice additional layer of security.
However, with the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung has taken bio-metric security a step further, with the inclusion of an iris scanner, which uses infrared to scan your eyes and unlock the phone. It actually works surprisingly well, given that it is a first generation feature, but does take a little bit longer than when using the fingerprint sensor, because of the additional steps involved.
After waking up the phone, you actually need to swipe up before it starts scanning your eyes. The swipe gesture is meant to prevent the phone from scanning your eyes when you don’t want it to, but the option to disable this would have been nice to have.
Samsung re-introduced dust and water resistance with their 2016 flagships, and both the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S7 Edge come with an IP68 rating for protection against the elements. In the case of the Galaxy Note 7, the S-Pen is also protected, which means that if you ever find the need for it, you will be able to take notes while the phone is submerged.
Speaking of the S-Pen, as is the case with every iteration, the new stylus brings with a lot of improvements. It has a much finer point and more levels of pressure sensitivity, allowing for a more accurate and precise writing experience. However, perhaps the most important change is the fact that the S-Pen cannot be put into its slot backwards anymore.
Samsung has also added a slew of features to take advantage of the revamped S-Pen. You can now hover the stylus over the screen to translate text or images, magnify the screen, or create a GIF from something like a Youtube video to share with friends, assuming that it is not DRM protected content. The Screen Off Memo has also been improved, giving you the ability to scroll and write much longer memos, that can also be pinned for up to an hour to the Always On display, to make it more easily accessible.
The Galaxy Note 7 packs a 3,500 mAh battery, which is the largest we’ve seen with a Galaxy Note device, but is still slightly smaller than the 3,600 mAh unit of the Galaxy S7 Edge. The difference in capacity is negligible when it comes to the battery life that is available with both.
If you are looking for a smartphone that provides five or six hours of screen-on time on a consistent basis, and can comfortably last a full day even with heavy usage, both devices will do the trick. Both devices also come with fast charging capabilities and fast wireless charging as well, so no matter how you decide to charge your phone, you will be able to do so quickly.
Camera
Both smartphones also feature the exact same camera package as well. On the rear is a 12 MP camera with a f/1.7 aperture, OIS, and the super fast dual pixel autofocus technology, and up front is a 5 MP shooter with a wide angle lens, which works really well to put a lot of detail into your selfie.
Given that the camera of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are widely considered to be some the best smartphone cameras around, Samsung can’t be blamed for deciding to stick with the same sensor. It takes fantastic images in almost all lighting conditions, with plenty of detail, sharpness, color, and depth.
The pictures do look similar for the most part, but it appears as though Samsung has tweaked the image processing. First off, the image sharpening looks a lot more natural with the Galaxy Note 7, and isn’t as aggressive as what is seen with the Galaxy S7 Edge, and secondly, the white balance issues that plagued the latter in low-light conditions aren’t to be seen with the former, which is amazing, and just these two changes help make the Note 7 camera even better.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 camera samples
The most notable improvements with the camera experience actually have to do with the camera application. While the camera app of the Galaxy S7 Edge is already clean and easy to navigate, Samsung has made the camera software more intuitive with the Galaxy Note 7.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera samples
A double tap of the home button launches the camera as usual, and the app comes with all of the same features as before, including selective focus, live broadcast, and a robust Pro mode, but the interface of the Galaxy Note 7 camera app has been revamped with a much flatter and more simplistic look. It is also much easier to navigate with one hand, using swipe gestures. You can swipe to the right to access the camera modes, to the left to bring up the various camera filters, and swipe up or down to switch between the rear and front cameras.
Software
On the software side of things, both the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, with the TouchWiz UI on top. As expected, the general look and feel of the software package is similar, with features like Multi Window and a Themes store available with both. However, Samsung has made a few changes to the TouchWiz UI that is available with the Galaxy Note 7.
If you look closely, you will see that many of the app icons have been revamped with new graphics and a more uniform look. Certain UI elements, like the notification shade and the Settings menu, have also been given a slight facelift to match the rest of the changes that have been throughout TouchWiz.
The settings menu is cleaner and a lot more streamlined, making is much easier to find what you’re looking for. They have also dialed back a lot of the colors to allow for a more minimalistic appearance. Instead of the bright bold colors that are seen with the Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung has opted for a softer, more eggshell like color scheme that is more appealing and easier on the eyes. This change can be found throughout the interface, and especially with Samsung’s own applications.
Samsung also consolidated all of their different note taking applications into one app called Samsung Notes, and whether you use the app or not, this change makes the process of finding the appropriate app for making a note or drawing a lot less confusing, while also helping reduce some of the bloatware. The only change that I’m not a fan of is that the toggles in the notification shade on the Galaxy Note 7 are no longer scrollable like they are on the Galaxy S7 Edge, and to get to the brightness slider, it now takes two swipes down on the notification shade instead of one.
The Galaxy Note 7 also brings a new secure folder to lock away any apps or sensitive information that you don’t want anyone else to access, and this can be locked with a standard password, pin, lock pattern, your fingerprints, and even the brand new iris scanner. Touchwiz is surprisingly pleasant to use on the Galaxy Note 7, with Samsung making a lot of really nice changes, and hopefully we’ll see this trickle down to the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge in a future update.
Finally, with the Galaxy Note 7 also featuring dual curved edges, it’s only natural for the Edge Panels to make their way over from the Galaxy S7 Edge. The Edge features include panels to easily access your favorite contacts, most used applications, and tasks, along with a variety of other information, including sports scores and the weather, all available with a simple swipe from the edge of the display.
Specs comparison
| Display | 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display Quad HD resolution, 518 ppi |
5.5-inch Super AMOLED display Quad HD resolution, 534 ppi |
| Processor | 2.15 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor Adreno 530 GPU |
2.15 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor Adreno 530 GPU |
| RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage | 32/64 GB expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB |
64 GB expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB |
| Camera | 12 MP rear camera, f/1.7 aperture, OIS, LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera with wide angle lens |
12 MP rear camera, f/1.7 aperture, OIS, LED flash 5 MP front-facing camera with wide angle lens |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 NFC GPS + GLONASS USB Type-C (USB 3.1) |
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 4.2 NFC GPS + GLONASS microUSB 2.0 |
| Battery | 3,500 mAh | 3,600 mAh |
| Software | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Dimensions | 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9 mm 169 grams |
150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm 157 grams |
Gallery
Final thoughts
So, there you have it for this comprehensive look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Galaxy S7 Edge! As we have seen throughout this review, the Galaxy Note 7 borrows a lot from the Galaxy S7 Edge, but it is an entirely different phone that offers its own unique experience. Despite how much it has in common with the Galaxy S7 Edge, it does feel the way a Note device should feel, and it certainly is more than just the Galaxy S7 Edge with an S-Pen.
With Samsung getting a lot right with the Galaxy S7 Edge, it’s not surprising to see a lot of these hardware and software features make their way over to the Galaxy Note 7, and this does, in fact, help simplify the decision making process for consumers. The Galaxy S series, and now the Galaxy Note 7, all offer the same core specifications, the identical camera setup, and largely similar software experience, so when making a choice, it all boils down to which features you are looking for.
If a small and compact device is your need, the Galaxy S7 is the way to go, and if durability is a concern, the Galaxy S7 Active is a great companion. The Galaxy S7 Edge gives you a slightly larger display, with curved edges, and a bigger battery. However, if the S-Pen is important, and an iris scanner seems interesting, the Galaxy Note 7 is the answer.
The Galaxy Note 7 is certainly not a worthy upgrade from the Galaxy S7 Edge, but it isn’t meant to be. Instead, of you are looking to make the jump from older Samsung flagships like the Galaxy Note 5, the Galaxy S6 series, or the Galaxy Note 4, it will definitely feel like an amazing upgrade, and you won’t regret making the leap to any “7.”
Buy the Galaxy Note 7!
Buy the Galaxy S7 Edge!
How to download and install MIUI 8 on the Redmi Note 3
With an OTA update underway, installing MIUI 8 on the Redmi Note 3 is as easy as it gets.
Xiaomi started rolling out the stable MIUI 8 ROM on August 23, seeding the OTA update to the Mi 4i and Redmi Note. The update is now making its way to the Redmi Note 3. If you’re rocking the budget handset, it’s time to make the switch to MIUI 8.
How to download MIUI 8 on the Redmi Note 3
The easiest way to get MIUI 8 on the Redmi Note 3 is through the OTA update. To see if one is available for your handset, open the Updater app and check for updates. We’ll break it down for you:
Open the Updater app from the home screen.
Tap Check for updates.
Download MIUI 8.0.1.0.
Even though MIUI has been updated, the phone itself is still running Android 5.1.1 (build LMY47V). Xiaomi is said to be testing a Marshmallow-based build for the Redmi Note 3, which should make its way to beta testers in the coming months. For its part, the company is continuing to roll out security patches on time, with the phone currently on the August security patch.
As of now, Xiaomi hasn’t made download links available for the Redmi Note 3, so you’ll have to wait for the OTA to update to MIUI 8. We’ll add the relevant links and instructions on how to flash your phone using the recovery files once they’re available.
I’m yet to see the update on the Mi 5, Mi Max, or the Redmi 3S, but it rolling out to the devices in the coming days. As a refresher, these are the handsets that are slated to receive MIUI 8:
- Mi Max
- Mi 5
- Mi 4i
- Mi 4
- Redmi Note 3
- Redmi 3S
- Redmi 3S Prime
- Redmi 1S
- Redmi 2
- Redmi 2 Prime
- Redmi Note 4G
- Redmi Note 3G
Did you make the switch to MIUI 8 on the Redmi Note 3? How are you liking the changes?
Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ has been pirated 750,000 times
It seems streaming exclusives are continuing to create a rise in piracy. After a four-year hiatus Frank Ocean finally resurfaced, dropping his long-anticipated sophomore album, Blonde, on Apple Music last weekend. Critics and fans are enjoying it, but it’s not all good news for the R&B singer. So far, the album has been illegally downloaded over a whopping 750,000 thousand times.
This is according to data released to Music Business Worldwide by MUSO, a data-analytics specialist, which claims that as of August 25th, people pirated Ocean’s album 753, 849 times. Since Blonde is an Apple Music exclusive for now, fans are not willing to pay $9.99 per month to listen to the record.
Most of the biggest albums in 2016 have been released exclusively on streaming services, like Beyonce’s Lemonade on Tidal. As a result, piracy rates are increasing. Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, which was temporarily only available on Tidal as well, was illegally downloaded over a record-breaking 500,000 times.
How this mass piracy will affect future album releases remains to be seen, but one thing’s for use, the music industry needs to find quick solutions. Universal Music Group’s recent ban on streaming exclusives is one way to deal with the problem.
Source: Music Business Worldwide
FDA recommends that all donated blood be tested for Zika
In light of the Zika virus rapidly spreading to other parts of the world, the Food and Drug Administration has changed up its recommendations for donated blood. Going forward, all blood donated in the United States should be screened for the Zika virus.
Back in February, the FDA went ahead with guidelines for blood in Florida and Puerto Rico, both areas affected by the virus, to go ahead and begin screening donated blood there for infection. Obviously this ensures blood given by the possible infected isn’t poisoning the supply redistributed out to patients in need of transfusions or other methods of blood delivery to the body.
According to FDA chief scientist Luciana Borio, “As new scientific and epidemiological information regarding Zika virus has become available, it’s clear that additional precautionary measures are necessary.” And it’s good to err on the side of caution, obviously, as the Zika virus has spread from South America last year all the way to Miami this year, with a special travel advisory for those in Miami issued.
A week or so ago Zika-infected mosquitoes were found as far away as Louisville, Kentucky, and there have been additional cases popping up here and there as well.
These new recommendations in place will continue to be enforced until the “risk of transfusion transmission of Zika virus is reduced,” the FDA advised. Hopefully that’s in the near future and the virus doesn’t get a chance to spread much further than it already has.
Via: The Verge
Source: FDA
Google Wallet introduces automatic transfers
Google has just pushed out an update to its Wallet mobile app that allows automatic transfers to your bank account. Previously, if you wanted to use money from the account elsewhere you’d have to go in and cash out your Google Wallet balance first. Omitting this part should be a boon for regular users who don’t have to remember an extra step just to have access to their cash.
Choose a debit card or bank account to link to your Google Wallet, which you can enable for automatic transfers (unless, as TechCrunch mentions, you’d prefer to keep your balance stored with Google, which is still possible). It will take some time to transfer to your debit card, but overall it’s a smoother solution than the old process.
It’s great to see Google Wallet updating to add more functionality, especially since it killed off the service’s linked debit card only a couple of months ago. This levels the playing field between other payment services like Venmo, Squarecash and PayPal, and helps put Wallet back on the map after its previous missteps.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Google Wallet (Google Play)
AT&T signs up HBO for its DirecTV Now streaming service
Back in March AT&T announced plans for a trio of DirecTV-branded streaming services it will launch later this year, and now it’s stocking the cupboard with content. Disney recently announced that its channels (including ESPN and ABC) would be a part of the subscription packages, and tonight AT&T announced it will offer HBO & Cinemax as well. The deal is part of a renewal of HBO’s agreement for the DirecTV and U-verse services, which AT&T is calling historic because it is an “all-platform” deal covering both traditional and streaming options.
There’s still no word on exactly how much DirecTV Now or DirecTV Mobile will cost (the third element, DirecTV Preview will be a free, ad-supported product) but knowing it will have popular channels is important. Competitors like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue have filled out their offerings over the last year or so, and one way or another AT&T will need to have something for people to watch if they’re going to pay.
The press release notes HBO & Cinemax will also be a part of AT&T’s mobile video offerings, while things should stay the same for DirecTV and U-verse customers. We’ll let you know more about DirecTV Now whenever we hear about it, but all we know is that it’s still on track to launch by the end of this year.
Source: AT&T (PRNewswire)
Progress from ‘NBA 2K17’ demo carries over to the full game
Game demos are awesome, but they’re usually the intro section of any given game. More than that, once you actually have the retail version, you’re stuck working through the same portion of the game over again before getting to the meat of the experience. Playing early is a double-edged sword. NBA 2K17 is doing something different come September 9th, though. With “The Prelude,” you’ll have early access to the basketball game’s career mode and will be able to play college games, interact with coaches during the mini-narrative and affect how you’ll start MyCareer when the game arrives.
It all sounds pretty neat, actually. Sure, it’s mostly the game’s tutorial and character creation modes (you can scan your face in using the game’s companion app), but you’d be doing all this stuff anyway. Now, you can jump right to the hardwood on September 20th.
ICYMI: Jump start your #NBA2K17 MyCAREER early on 9/9. Begin your #NBA2K17 journey for FREE on PSN & XBL!https://t.co/XwJBbGmMku
— NBA 2K 2K17 (@NBA2K) August 26, 2016
Source: Businesswire, NBA 2K (Twitter)
AIVAnet 