Amazon briefly slashes Prime to £59 ahead of Black Friday
With Black Friday and Christmas on the horizon, Amazon knows that countless Brits would appreciate next-day deliveries and other Prime-associated perks. As a result, the retailer is making it a little cheaper than usual to sign up for an annual membership — £59, rather than £79. It’s a sizeable price-drop, although the deal only runs until Wednesday (November 18th). So if you want in, better act fast. For that price you’ll gain access to Amazon’s ancillary services, including Prime Video (its Netflix equivalent), Prime Music (its Spotify equivalent) and unlimited photo storage through Cloud Drive. Even if you’re an infrequent Amazon shopper, this could make one of its “all-in” 12-month subscriptions worthwhile. It also means you can try some of its more experimental delivery services, like Amazon Pantry and Prime Now, for when your cupboards are bare and it’s too cold to brave a trip to the shops.
Source: Amazon
Shopping with Amazon Dash buttons made me less forgetful
If you’re like me, you’ve made a trip to the grocery store with a list full of items only to return frustrated. You forgot toilet paper. Or soap. Or laundry detergent. Whatever it may be, we’ve all arrived back at home to realize we neglected to pick up an important item. Thankfully, Amazon’s Dash buttons help you order items the moment you run out so that you’re not forced to make a second trip. Heck, you don’t even have to make a first trip. The handy buttons pair with Amazon’s mobile app to give Prime members an easy way to purchase the goods they use most. In fact, they make placing an order so easy it’s kind of scary. Slideshow-341309
5 Android apps you shouldn’t miss this week! – Android Apps Weekly
Welcome back to Android Apps Weekly! Let’s get to those headlines:
- Cyanogen has released a fun little bundle of Cyanogen OS applications for CyanogenMod users. These apps, referred to as C-Apps, are a collection of six applications that you can optionally install, but only if you run CyanogenMod. Everyone else will have to either install at least CM12.1 or not get them.
- Last week, Google acquired Fly Labs which was known for its photo and video editing applications on iOS. The reigning, and likely correct, opinion is that this tech will eventually help make Google Photos image editing work better. Of course, it’ll likely take some time before we see any changes.
- We received some official news on Nintendo’s first Android game this last week. DeNA, who is partnering with Nintendo, announced that the game will be free-to-play which means free with in-app purchases. Even I’m disappointed about that.
- After what we assume was a massive success, Amazon has boosted the number of paid apps available for free in their Amazon Underground service by three times what it used to be. If you haven’t checked out the Amazon Underground service yet, now’s a good time to do it.
- Xposed Framework, the popular modding, root app may be coming to Marshmallow sooner than later. Some reports indicate that it should be out in the next week or so and the entire root community rejoiced!
For even more Android apps and games news, don’t forget to check out this week’s newsletter! There you’ll find the complete list of news that we didn’t have time for here. If you want, you can sign up for the newsletter with your email address and we’ll send it to you every week.
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Fallout C.H.A.T.
[Price: Free]
Fallout 4 is out now so it only felt appropriate that we have something about the game to take part in the celebration. Fallout C.H.A.T. is a simple little keyboard released directly by Bethesda. It features a bunch of Fallout inspired elements including gifs, emojis, and a Fallout-themed keyboard for your use. It’s not the best keyboard ever and we’re sure you’ll end up switching back to your usual one, but it’s fun to play with.
Get it now on Google Play!
Lost Echo
[Price: $2.99]
Lost Echo is a new game that was released this last week. It’s a mystery-adventure game where you play as a man named Doug who is looking for his girlfriend Chloe. The catch is that she seems to have been lost in time and no one can remember she existed except for him. The game features really good looking graphics and the story-driven narratives are interesting and fun. The game had some wicked bad early bugs but most of them seemed to have been cleared out.
Get it now on Google Play!
YouTube Music
[Price: Free / $9.99 subscription]
YouTube Music is the latest entrance into the fiasco that is YouTube Red. It is technically a YouTube application that removes all non-music related content. The application was meant to be used with YouTube Red as you can listen to music with the screen off, save stuff for offline playback, no advertising, and there are personalized playlists for you. It’s a good app and it works well, even if there’s no point for it to exist.
Get it now on Google Play!
This War of Mine
[Price: $6.99]
This War of Mine is an adventure-survival game that takes place during a war. Instead of playing the part of the soldiers, you instead play the part of some civilians who are just trying to survive the harshness of war. During the day, you’re pinned to your location by snipers and at night you go adventuring for supplies to keep you alive. Every decision can mean life or death and it’s a surprisingly deep game. It’s on sale for 50% off right now.
Get it now on Google Play!
Apple Music
[Price: Free / $9.99/month]
Apple Music finally hit the Google Play Store this last week to the usual array of unwarranted vitriol from the more aggressively loyal members of the Android community. Controsvery aside, the application actually looks pretty good and Apple did well with the design elements. The service itself is pretty decent as well, boasting 30 million songs, radio stations including Beats 1, playlists, recommendations, and more. You can get a free trial for checking it out if you want to.
Get it now on Google Play!
Wrap up
If we missed any great Android apps or games news, tell us more about it in the comments!
Major firms show support after Friday’s attacks in Paris
Shortly after news broke of the attacks in Paris on Friday, major technology companies stepped up to show support.
https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js
Google acted quickly in supplying free calls to France using Hangouts. Through the rest of the weekend, anyone can use Hangouts in order to contact friends and family currently located in the country. The company will likely extend this for a few more days.
Immediately, Facebook activated the Safety Check feature to allow users nearby the attacks the ensure others that they are safe.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, commented:
“My thoughts are with everyone in Paris tonight. Violence like this has no place in any city or country around the world. We’ve activated Safety Check, so if you’re in Paris you can mark yourself safe or check on your friends and family.”
Facebook is also offering a special filter for profile pictures to show their support. Users can place the country’s flag over their own profile pictures temporarily or permanently. Facebook allowed the same thing earlier this year when the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the ban on gay marriage.
Amazon
Amazon quietly modified its homepage to show the flag of France raised above the French word for “solidarity.” The site also shows the Eiffel Tower next to the word on its banner, visible on every page.
While Twitter did not explicitly make a move, its users took on a huge social responsibility, offering care for those in the city of Paris. The hashtag #PorteOuverte, which means “open door,” was used by Twitter users throughout the city in an effort to provide shelter for those loose on the streets and unable to get to a safe location.
Twitter’s Moments feature, in addition to the straightforward timeline, became a way for people around the world to follow the sights and sounds of what went on in Paris on Friday. Moments is still updating as news follows the aftermath.
As stated last night, the thoughts of everyone at Talk Android are with the people of Paris.
Come comment on this article: Major firms show support after Friday’s attacks in Paris
Amazon brings grocery deliveries to the UK with ‘Pantry’
Clearly, Amazon isn’t content with its small AmazonFresh trials. The company is expanding its UK operations today with Amazon Pantry, a new service for ordering “everyday essentials.” It’s exclusive to Prime members and offers next-day delivery for more than 4,000 products, including basic food, drink, beauty products and cleaning supplies. The service isn’t meant for fresh produce — you can’t order a pack of bacon or some bananas — but rather cupboard regulars like cereal, biscuits and tinned soup. As you pick items from Amazon’s store, you’ll see a “Pantry box” beginning to fill. The exact dimensions aren’t clear (they’re probably flexible) but Amazon says each one can hold 20kg. The first box in your order costs £2.99 to deliver, followed by 99 pence for each additional box. These prices are on top of your Prime membership and what you’ll pay for each individual item.
Via: Amazon
Source: Amazon Pantry
Amazon devices, Chromecast to get access to PlayStation Vue
Sony has announced that they are expanding support for their PlayStation Vue service to include Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick devices and to Chromecast. Support for the Amazon devices is starting today and Sony says the Chromecast support is coming soon. These new devices will join the PS4, PS3, iPhone and iPad as supported devices for subscribers to access PlayStation Vue.
PlayStation Vue offers subscribers a variety of content through the service, like SHOWTIME or Fox Soccer Plus. In addition, some multi-channel options are available in markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, and Miami. Sony is also changing pricing for some of the packages they offer, dropping a Core package from $59.99 to $54.99 per month while the Elite package will be $64.99, down from $69.99.
PlayStation Vue offers a free trial that users can sign up for at http://www.psvue.com. To help entice potential subscribers to not abandon the service after the free trial is up, starting on November 15th new subscribers will receive a free Amazon Fire TV Stick once they make their first monthly subscription payment. Subscribers do have to be in one of the cities where PlayStation Vue multi-channel packages are available to take advantage of this promotion.
source: PlayStation Blog
Come comment on this article: Amazon devices, Chromecast to get access to PlayStation Vue
10 best video streaming apps for Android
Video streaming is quickly becoming a very big deal. That old cable subscription is looking less and less like a good deal and there are now tons of ways to enjoy content online. The revolution will be streamed, not televised. Here is our list of the best video streaming apps for Android. Please note, the availability of these services may be different based on your region. We apologize if we recommend something that’s not available where you are.
See also: 22 best Chromecast apps for Android
Amazon Prime Instant Video
[Price: Free app, $99/yr subscription]
Amazon Prime is probably one of the best deals that you can get on the Internet. For $99 you get free 2-day shipping along with a host of other features. One of them is Amazon Instant Video. Many pundits will tell you that the collection pales in comparison to the likes of Netflix or Hulu, but they generally don’t take into account that Netflix doesn’t offer 2-day shipping on Amazon. You can also purchase TV shows and movies that are available on Amazon but not on Instant Video and then watch them using this app. The installation process is a little wonky and the UI is a bit clunky, but it does work. Please note, the installation methods for smartphones and tablets are different. Use the button below to get the smartphone version. Click here to get the tablet install instructions.
Get it now on Amazon!
Crunchyroll
[Price: Free app, $6.95/month subscription]
Crunchyroll is one of the most popular anime streaming apps out there right now. The service boasts 25,000 episodes and 15,000 hours of content that you can watch. You can actually engage with most of this content completely free but you’ll have to deal with ads. You can then pay up the subscription cost to remove those ads. It has some heavy hitting shows including many fan favorites. The only problem is the service tends to lean towards subtitles so dub fans may to look elsewhere.
Get it now on Google Play!
Disney Movies Anywhere
[Price: Free]
Disney Movies Anywhere is a newer streaming service operated by, you guessed it, Disney. This one is rather interesting. Instead of making you buy anything, Disney lets you buy their movies wherever you want. Once you buy them, you can then have access to them on the streaming service. You can even purchase physical copies although they will need to come with a digital code if you want to use them on this service. It’s a unique way of doing things, especially if you plan to buy a lot of Disney movies.
Get it now on Google Play!
Google Play Movies and TV
[Price: Free]
Google Play Movies & TV is Google’s in-house video streaming app. With this, you can watch any content that you decide to buy from the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, it’s not a service like Netflix but more of a content purchasing system similar to iTunes. Once purchased, you can use this app to watch them on your Android devices. It comes with Material Design, Chromecast support, and it’s most likely already installed on your device. It’s had some problems, but it’s not a terrible experience.
Get it now on Google Play!
HBO NOW
[Price: Free app, $14.99/month subscription]
HBO has not only been a fan of all-caps for a long time, but they’ve also been very forward thinking when it comes to video streaming. This has culminated in HBO NOW, HBO’s very own streaming service. With it, you can access pretty much anything you want on HBO’s network including Silicon Valley, Sex and the City, VICE, The Wire, Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, and more. The only potential caveat is that it’s far more expensive than other services despite providing less content.
Get it now on Google Play!
Netflix
[Price: Free app, $9/month subscription]
Netflix is such an iconic streaming service in our culture that “Netflix and chill” is a thing that exists. Absurdities aside, Netflix is a fantastic streaming service and one that virtually all other streaming services are compared to. The service is generally rock solid with support for a ton of devices. You’ll also have a good mixture of movies, TV shows, anime, comedy stand up, and other genres. If you don’t have it, you should definitely consider it.
Get it now on Google Play!
Hulu
[Price: Free app, $7.99-$11.99/month optional subscription]
Hulu and Netflix have been “the big two” in video streaming for quite sometime and that remains true today. Hulu focuses primarily on television shows and has quite a large selection of shows to choose from. Unlike most subscription services, Hulu gets shows relatively quickly for streaming. With this one, you have two streaming subscription options. There’s the $7.99 for limited commercials and a newer, slightly more expensive $11.99 for no commercials at all. You can also opt to pay nothing and watch commercials.
Get it now on Google Play!
Sling TV
[Price: Free app, $19.99/month subscription]
Sling TV is a bold attempt to create a television network that exists entirely online. It’s a move pretty much every cord cutter applauds. The basic package includes about two dozen channels for its admittedly steep $19.99/month charge. You can add additional packages for more money per month that includes Spanish TV, sports, kids stuff, and more. The app needs a bit of work, but the service is solid and it should get better over time.
Get it now on Google Play!
Twitch
[Price: Free]
Twitch is the standard for watching and streaming video games and, overall, one of the better streaming apps on this list. With it, you can follow and watch all of your favorite content creators and maybe one day become inspired enough to become one yourself. There isn’t too much to say about the service because it really is just a bunch of really entertaining people playing video games. You do have the option to subscribe to a channel and watch ad-free in exchange for money, but that varies based on the number of channels you want to subscribe to.
Get it now on Google Play!
YouTube
[Price: Free app, $9.99/month optional subscription]
YouTube has been slowly evolving over the last few years and it’s now a force to be reckoned with. On top of being the world’s most popular “shoot and share” streaming site, it’s also the de facto space for things like music videos, independent news, and a bunch of other fun stuff. There is also YouTube Gaming, a competitor to Twitch, as well as YouTube Kids, which is YouTube but geared for children. You can pick up YouTube Red for $9.99/month which will remove all advertising and add some additional features, including a Google Play Music subscription.
Get it now on Google Play!
Wrap up
If we missed any great video streaming apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments! If you want to stay up to date on the latest Android apps and games news, you can use the form below to sign up for our newsletter!
Check out our Android Apps Weekly newsletter!
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The BlackBerry Priv is no Fire Phone
As previously reported, sales of the BlackBerry Priv have been nothing but hot. Orders have already been backed-up weeks on the company’s website. And now just yesterday, Amazon orders for the Android-flavored handset when from full stock to empty in only a few hours.
Prior to the launch of the BlackBerry Priv, many believed the sales would closely resemble those of Amazon’s Fire Phone. Well, think again. Priv orders have been off to a hot start, perhaps even better than the company themself believed it would. The listing on Amazon was for an unlocked version of the Priv held at $699, the same cost as buying directly from BlackBerry. Only hours later, all were gone. For now, your best bet is to wait on the carriers if you want to get hold of one. If this sales momentum continues, we may see more Android-powered BlackBerrys by the end of the year. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Source: BerryReview
Come comment on this article: The BlackBerry Priv is no Fire Phone
[Deal] The Amazon Echo gets a $30 price cut on Amazon for today only
A day after announcing a massive product expansion, Amazon is now holding a one-day deal on its smart speaker, giving buyers $30 off the product. The Amazon Echo normally retails for $179.99, but for today only, consumers can get it for $149.99.
While some might say the Amazon Echo has the IQ of a bulldog, it’s an intelligent product that’s getting smarter everyday. With a seven-piece microphone array, users will be able to play music, add items to their shopping list, set alarms, create to-do lists, play podcasts, get the weather, and so much more using only their voice. Some more recent updates to the Amazon Echo software have added compatibility with different products, new features, and it can even tell jokes!
Those who plan on picking one up will need to act fast, as the Amazon Echo will no doubt sell like hotcakes during this sale. Anyone picking one up?
source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: [Deal] The Amazon Echo gets a $30 price cut on Amazon for today only
Amazon plans big Black Friday discounts for its Kindle, Fire TV Stick and tablet
Amazon has already kicked off its Black Friday deals early this year and the company has even more planned come the week of Thanksgiving. The retailer is preparing to drop some major discounts on its own range of hardware, including the Kindle, Fire TV Stick and Fire tablet.
Amazon will be knocking the price of its basic 6-inch Kindle down to just $49.99 (list price $79.99) on November 22nd, followed by a discount on its Fire TV Stick on November 26th. The little stick will see its price drop from $39.99 to $24.99.
See also: Amazon Fire HD 10 hands-on impressions
The final part of the hardware deal applies to the new 7-inch Amazon Fire tablet on Black Friday itself, cutting the price down from $49.99 to $34.99. The Fire tablet comes with a 1024×600 IPS display, 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 8GB of internal memory with a microSD card slot for storage, which should be enough for all your basic web browsing and media needs.
The company no doubt has a lot more planned for Black Friday too, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for any additional great gadget bargains. Pencil in those dates.
AIVAnet 