Nest announces several new products for your home
Ever since Google acquired Nest last year, there have been lot of developments taking place in the company. Earlier today at a press conference in San Francisco, Founder/CEO, Tony Fadell along with the rest of the product team have unveiled a revamped new product line for home security.
The new announcements include the new Nest Cam, 2nd generation Nest Protect, added features in the Nest Learning Thermostat and a brand new 5.0 companion application.
Nest Cam
The new Nest Cam is perfect for your home security needs. With clear 1080p high definition video and sound you can always be sure that your nothing will go unseen. It claims to offer motion detection and remote feed options that will make sure that you can monitor you home from anywhere and be at peace that your home is safe at all times be it night or day.
Nest Protect
The new Nest Protect is an industrial grade smoke sensor which stays connected with your phone all the time. Its a talking smoke alarm that informs you about any smoke emergencies. And a smart one at that, so that you can know in which room the smoke’s been coming from.
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Thermostat with improved learning features. You don’t even have to program it, it learns automatically while you use it. And with all these products you can access it from anywhere via your mobile app. The improved power saving features will keep your costs down even when you are away from home.
And finally, the companion, One Home One app which links all these devices together so you can control them from one single app right from your mobile phone.
All of these new products really look promising and open up a new world of technology for home security and safety.
The company is also partnering with some home insurance companies and offering certain discounts to eligible customers for Nest Protect.
What do you think about these new products? How excited are you to install them in your home? Let us know in the comments below.
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2016 Honda Pilot debuts with Android
Just last month Hyundai announced that the 2015 Hyundai Sonata would be the first to market in the US with Android Auto. About the same time, Honda also quietly announced that the 2016 Honda Pilot would feature a brand new audio system powered by Google’s Android OS. To be clear, this is not Android Auto, but rather the full Android OS.
Not much has been said about the specs of the device, but we were able to confirm that it runs Android 4.2.2. Here is a complete run down of what we know at this time.
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- 8″ WVGA (800×480) Electrostatic Color Touch-Screen
- Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Capacitive controls
- AM/FM/CD
- Included apps: a web browser and a calculator
- Ability to install/update apps and widgets via USB thumb drive
- Launcher has widget support
In the short time I was able to play with the device I was impressed with the speed and responsiveness of the system. It’s surely a vast improvement over the previous generation Display Audio system available in some of their other vehicles. As we get more information we will update you on the specs. In the mean time you can check out the 2016 Honda Pilot at your local Honda dealer.
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OnePlus confirms specifications for its next smartphone
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fter shaking the tech industry last year, Oneplus is set to bring its next smartphone to market. Oneplus already revealed that it’s going to name its next smartphone Oneplus 2. Today, the company’s CEO also confirmed the processor, which is going to drive the whole device and is also going to let users know if this phone is going to be a real flagship. All flagship devices usually carry the latest and most powerful processors available.
According to Oneplus, the smartphone will come loaded with Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 810 V2.1 processor. Oneplus did acknowledge the overheating issues with the original 810 processor and collaborated with Qualcomm to resolve the said issues. The outcome of collaboration resulting in the Snapdragon 810 V2.1.
“Although there have been reports that the 810 runs warmer than its predecessors, we assure you that we have taken all the necessary precautions and beyond to prevent this from occurring in the Oneplus 2. We worked very closely with Qualcomm’s engineers to integrate an improved version of the chipset (v2.1) in the OnePlus 2, and fine-tuned both hardware and software. “
For software, the Oneplus 2 will be running company’s own OxygenOS optimized specifically for the Snapdragon 810 V2.1. The processor will be coupled with Adreno 430 GPU which will be sufficient enough to run the high-end games available in the market today. Let’s hope the Oneplus 2 keeps this price down too.
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Microsoft’s Cortana coming to Android in July
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icrosoft’s version of Google Now, Cortana, is on its way to Android. We reported last month that Microsoft had stated that Cortana would be available for Android sometime this year. Well, today Microsoft officially revealed that the beta version of Cortana for Android would be available in July.
Cortana for Android will be a standalone app and should work like almost every other voice assistant. Here is the catch though, it will not offer as much functionality as the Cortana app for Windows. It will only work as a companion app for your Windows PC.
“Some features require access to the system that aren’t currently possible with iOS or Android, so things like toggling settings or opening apps won’t initially be available in the Cortana companions for those platforms“
Although the official announcement has been made, there is no word on a release date yet. Microsoft’s move to bring Cortana over to Android is quite understandable, as the company is extending it’s reach to rival platforms and we have already seen the presence of Microsoft Office in the Play Store.
Source
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Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP review
Did you know that an average person checks their phone up to a 150 times a day? And what screen do you get when you unlock your phone? It’s your home screen most of the times. Well, the good thing for Android users is that there is no limit to the customization that you can do with your phones, which include some crazy home screen customizations.
Well, today we bring you something simple and beautiful. A live wallpaper app! Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP, an app by Screaming Snail Studios Inc., is a collection of different seasonal wallpapers that you can use to glorify your home screen. Seeing a static wallpaper does get boring for some people after a while. With Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP you get an option to choose from all four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Coming to the app, you can either choose one of the four seasons or just put it in Auto Season to choose one randomly. There are also options to choose and set your preferred background scene, gradient color, and the globe wood type. Using all these settings the app renders a beautiful snow globe on your home screen containing different kinds of scenery as per the options chosen in the app settings.
The wallpapers rendered are absolutely beautiful and display in amazing 3D quality using the Unity App Engine for Android. The transitions are very smooth as well. The snow falling or the animals dancing, the wind raking the leaves, all the little movements of the scenes worked flawlessly. A handy double tap shortcut is present that takes you to the settings directly from the home screen.
If that was not enough, you can also set if you want your snow globe to rotate and control its speed as well. I personally liked the bouncing snowman in the winter season setting. Made me smile every time I looked at it.
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There is also an experimental option to choose from for the view position of the live wallpaper. If having a live snow globe wallpaper was not enough, Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP also allows you to step inside the snow globe and keep that as the wallpaper. Its feels really amazing to have the view from inside the snow globe. The snow and the leaves feel like they are just at your fingertips whenever you swipe on the home screen.
I hate to say it, but there are some bugs as well. I encountered a black screen several times when trying to load a wallpaper preview in the settings. I had to quit and restart the app for it to disappear. I used a Nexus 4 and Moto G to test this. Also, the app force closed on me when trying to change the wallpaper while I was trying out all the options one by one. The app worked fine after I restarted my devices though. I think its a matter of optimization of the unity engine and I hope it will be fixed in the next update.
One more thing I would like to see is the introduction of a rainy season. Not to sound all gloomy but I do like when it rains, especially when it first rains after a long hot summer. It’s one thing I’ll be looking forward to in a future update.
To sum it up, Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP is an app that you can use all year long for every season. Its beautiful animations will have you loving your phone every time you unlock it and the cheerful scenery will bring a smile to adults and children alike.
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Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP is available as a paid app download in the Play Store for only $0.99 and I would recommend it, as it is surely worth the price. A nice way to spice up your home screen without using any special launcher.
Have you tried Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP ? Tell us your experience in the comments below.
The post Shake It Up 3D: Seasons LWP review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
T-Mobile giving away free LG G Pad F 8.0 for Father’s Day
T-Mobile is giving away a free LG G Pad F 8.0 with the purchase of a qualifying data plan for Father’s Day. The holiday is nearly upon us, so you’ll need to act fast.
The tablet will cost you $0 down and $0 a month. The only requirement is that you stay in good standing with a data plan for 24 months, which could cost you as little as $10/month. If the wireless service is cancelled, the remaining balance will be due. Furthermore, it seems like this is exclusively an online promotion.
The device features an 8-inch display, 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, a stylus, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. It’s also running Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.
T-Mobile notes that they have limited availability, so you’ll need to act fast. You’ll need to be quick anyway, as Father’s day is just a couple of days away, which doesn’t give you a whole lot of time for delivery!
Hit the source link below to begin the order process!
source: T-Mobile
Come comment on this article: T-Mobile giving away free LG G Pad F 8.0 for Father’s Day
Samsung’s made an app that lets you record your mobile gaming
Recording games on your console or PC is pretty easy these days. But, what if your game of choice is on mobile? Search Google’s Play store, and there’s a bevy of apps promising to record your screen with ease. Sadly, most of them require you root your device, or simply look a bit dodgy. If you’re a Samsung user, there’s a legitimate choice that won’t require you meddling with your device — it’s called Game Recorder+. The app lets you record any game (along with your grinning mug, and commentary as you play it), and captures the game sound direct from the device, too. We’d find it even more useful if we could just record whatever we wanted, but this seems like a good start.
There are other features that should smooth out the whole experience. A “game boost” feature reckons it’ll optimize your phone’s memory while you play, and a floating menu widget lets you start recording without having to pause the game and go back into the Game Recorder+ app if you were already playing. Clips can be recorded in 1080p, edited/trimmed afterwards and uploaded to YouTube direct from the app. There is, of course, a massive catch: as alluded to already, you have to have a Samsung device to join the fun (currently Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Note 4, S5, Note 3, S4 and Note 2 handsets).
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung Tomorrow, Google Play
BitTorrent Shoot shares photos and videos between platforms
It’s not that hard to exchange pics and videos these days — you can just attach them to emails or forward them via messaging apps. BitTorrent is hoping you’d still be willing to pay for an app designed to send and receive media files though, because it’s just released one called “Shoot.” The application is based on BT’s Sync technology, and it can send and receive messages between platforms. It works quite differently from what you might be used to: clicking Send opens up your gallery, where you can choose multiple images and videos. The app will then generate a QR code that any user who clicks Receive can scan to download your files.
We’d say one of its two main selling points is making it easy to transfer big batches of media files to several other devices. The other is privacy, in case you want something more secure than cloud services or messaging apps. When VentureBeat asked the company why it didn’t make the app free upon launch and offer in-app purchases down the road, BT’s answer focused on privacy: “Like with BitTorrent Sync, we never monetize the user indirectly. On Shoot, you’ll never see an ad. Sharing is fully private, so we’re not harvesting any user data,” a spokesperson told the publication.
Still, those two are probably not enough to entice most people to pony up $2 for the app. Good thing you can download it right now from Google Play, iTunes or the Windows Phone Store and get three sends for free. After that, you can either pay $2 to continue sending — or delete the app if it’s not worth the price.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Bittorrent Shoot
Final Fantasy 7 finally going mobile!
It has been an amazing week for Final Fantasy enthusiasts. Especially for Final Fantasy 7 fans, who will be granted a couple of requests they have been begging for for years. For starters, Sony and Square Enix totally won E3 with the announcement of a Final Fantasy 7 HD remake (can you even believe it’s actually happening?). Now Square Enix executive producer Shinji Hashimoto is telling us the original Final Fantasy 7 is finally coming to mobile!
This is a total bomb drop for the many of us who believe Final Fantasy 7 is the greatest title in the franchise, but it’s also really good news for any Square Enix fan, really. This happens to be the first Final Fantasy title with more intensive graphics (relatively speaking) to officially make it to smartphones and tablets. What’s next? Final Fantasy 8 and 9? You never know! Our devices can handle the game. I have been playing Final Fantasy 7 on Android for a long time, through an emulator, and it works perfectly.
Let’s get back to the main topic, though. So we have good news and bad news. The good news is the 7th iteration of the popular game series will launch on mobile this summer, which is very soon. The bad news is that it will come to iOS, at least at first. We are reporting on this because we know this is a huge title for many of our fans, and it passing through this milestone means a lot to you. Not to mention, Square Enix has been great at bringing its mobile games to Android, even if it may take them a bit longer sometimes.
It’s worth noting this will be a direct port of the original game, which was released back in 1997. There’s no fancier graphics or changes – just pure Final Fantasy 7, as we know and love it.
We are left in the dark when it comes to pricing, as well, but we can assume this game won’t be cheap. Square Enix tends to charge a pretty penny for its mobile titles (usually about $15 or $16 USD), and they know Final Fantasy 7 fans will pay up without even thinking about it. I mean, I have bought this game about 4 times already, and I am definitely getting the mobile and HD versions as soon as they come out. Are you?
Here’s a trailer… just to get you all hyped up!
CloudPlayer streams your music from Dropbox and Google Drive
DoubleTwist has released a media player separate from its main product, and this one can stream music straight from various cloud services. Aptly named CloudPlayer, the app links to your Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive accounts all at once to access any music files you’ve uploaded. The company says it “created CloudPlayer to provide an alternative to crippled, proprietary cloud music lockers that impose painful restrictions on what you can do with the music you own.” Unlike other services (company co-founder Jon Lech Johansen specifically targets Google Play Music in his blog post), DoubleTwist claims CloudPlayer doesn’t have a download or a device restriction, and it supports lossless audio.
You can also choose songs and playlists to save for offline playback on the app. Finally, the media player can stream music through Chromecast and AirPlay devices (such as Apple TV), though you’ll have to shell out $5 for the feature as an in-app purchase. Otherwise, the app is free and up right now on Google Play — DoubleTwist says it’s “launching on Android first,” so the player might head to other platforms in the future. A quick glance at the early reviews, however, shows that it’s having issues detecting music from OneDrive. The company says it’s a “bug with Microsoft’s OneDrive API,” and it’s already taking steps to fix the problem.
Source: doubleTwist
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