Nexus 9 gets more real as device gets FCC approval
Everything is falling into place for the Nexus 9 ahead of it’s October 16th release, as the Nexus 9 has received the FCC approval.
Whilst the documentation doesn’t reveal too much about the device, it does confirm that the device doesn’t support the usual 16:9 aspect ratio as seen on most Android devices.
HTC, who are expected to be manufacturing the Nexus 9, is expected to be make a press announcement next week regarding the device.
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Netflix for Android now lets you quickly spot what you’re searching for
Netflix’s Android app hasn’t made searching very easy so far. While it’ll give you thumbnails, the heavy emphasis on text in results has sometimes meant scrolling through gigantic lists. It should be much more elegant as of today, however; a just-launched update has brought visual search (previously found just about everywhere else on Netflix) to Google’s platform. Look for a title and you’ll get nothing but pictures, making it easier to find an iconic movie or TV show based on its artwork.
Prefer iOS instead? Don’t worry, you’re getting a treat as well. As on Android, visual search on the iPhone can now help you track down actors, creators and directors. You can find everything Netflix has from David Fincher (such as House of Cards), for example. Whichever device you call home, you’ll find your illustration-heavy upgrade at the source links.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD, Mobile
Source: Netflix, Google Play, App Store
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Super BoxMan App Review
Super BoxMan is a game from BigMoth Studios that puts you as a small box that has to dodge walls that come down at you from above by moving left and right across the screen to make it through the space in the walls. A good concept with an addictive quality, unfortunately there are a few issues that make the game more frustrating than playable.
To be honest, I’m not a huge mobile gamer. Generally when it comes to games I download they’re the pick up and play games, or puzzle games. Games that I can put down at a moment’s notice, but also play for hours if I let myself. This game fits in this category though, making it a good time killer while waiting in line at Starbucks. However, I think that because I don’t regularly play mobile games, this game is harder than it might be for hardcore mobile gamers. That being said, I enjoy playing on my Xbox and computer, so by no means am I alien to hand-eye coordination.
So when I opened this game, and tapped my way through the somewhat confusing menu (Just keep tapping, and you’ll be in the game soon enough) and started to play, I was immediately thrown by a few things. First of all, the controls are really sensitive. All you do is simply tap and hold the left or right side of the screen to get your BoxMan to move to the respective side. But he goes flying across that screen! Also, the colors of the entire game change at a constant rate, from red to green to blue to purple and so on. This would not be so bad, and even be a great distraction to achieving your goal, if it weren’t for the fact that the screen also constantly zooms in and out. This makes for a headache of a game to play, and should probably include a warning for those prone to seizures.
After getting used to those things though, the game does become quite addictive, with the desire to get just a little farther strong enough to tap “Retry” several times. That is, until you need to put the game down to take some Advil.
To recap: great playability in terms of the game’s addictive quality and concept, OK controls that take some time to adjust to due to their sensitivity, and bad graphics not in terms of looks per se (as I believe they purposefully go for a pixelated look) but rather in terms of the constant zooming in and out and color changing combination.
I recommend downloading it to see if you like it and can get past these issues. Just have a bottle of Advil nearby.
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HTC’s next Desire phone reportedly captures 13-megapixel selfies
If you’ve wanted to shoot 13-megapixel selfies with your phone, you’ve usually had to get either a knock-off or a one-of-a-kind device like Oppo’s N1. You might not have to look very hard if a handful of leaks are correct, however. Both HTCFamily.ru and @upleaks have posted pictures of what’s reportedly the HTC Desire Eye, a relatively conventional upper mid-range Android phone that would pack 13-megapixel cameras on both the front and back. They’d even have flashes to help with those dimly-lit dance club snapshots.
The Desire Eye could be quite the powerhouse beyond its photographic abilities, too. Another rumor from @upleaks has it carrying a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a speedy quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage. There’s no direct clues as to when this new Desire would show up, although HTC already has a “double exposure” event lined up for October 8th. It won’t be shocking if the company has more up its sleeve that day than an action camera.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC
Source: HTCFamily.ru (Twitter), @upleaks (Twitter 1), (2)
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For Your Consideration: mobile accessories to check out this weekend (Oct. 4)
Welcome back! It’s week two of the accessory round up! We have everything from sd cards to the chromecast.. Check it out!
Samsung Micro SD Cards 64, 32, 16
Micro SD Cards are an absolute must if you don’t want to worry about the cloud and carry a lot of music and videos with you. Micro SD cards looked like they were going away, but now they are on almost every flagship that came out this year. I have always used Samsung SD cards, and they have some great sales going on right now. Check them out here on Amazon: 16gb, 32gb, and 64gb.
One of Android’s newest products – Android Wear, is amazing. If you have an Android phone, it’s worth looking into. I have been using the LG G Watch since mid-July and have been completely satisfied with it. To sum it up: you have access to all of your notifications on your wrist, as well as some apps that can build more functionality in their app. The LG G Watch can be found here. LG g watch.
Phone batteries are getting better and better with every phone that gets released. But sometimes the battery just isn’t good enough. Zero Lemon’s extended batteries will add literally days of life to your device. There is quite a large downside, and that’s the custom case. Since the battery is so big, it comes with a custom made case for each phone. I have a friend that buys these for every phone he has, they are highly recommended. Check them out for the LG G3, Note 3, and the S5 here : LG G3, Note 3, S5
The Chromecast, the surprise device that came out of Google IO last year has quickly taken off. It has been ranked in the top 5 streaming video items on Amazon since it was released last year. The Chromecast will let you send content from your phone to your t.v. Netflix, Pandora, and HBO Go are just a few of the great apps that work great with Chromecast. We cover the Chromecast, as well as all things Chrome, extensively on Chromewatching.com, so check it out if you get a chance. The Chromecast can be found on Amazon here: Chromecast
Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker
I’ve used a couple of different bluetooth speakers, the Bose Soundlink is the best I have heard. The sound that this fairly small device can produce is amazing. It pairs easily with any bluetooth device, and even if the device doesn’t have bluetooth, you will still be able to connect the speaker using an auxiliary cable. Bose claims that the speaker gets 7 hours of battery life, I can say that they are very accurate, the battery life is good. Bose gets a mixed review from people: some people love them, some people think that they aren’t as good. I have personally used the Bose Soundlink, and I am a fan. Check it out on Amazon here: Bose Soundlink
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Rebels aren’t taking ‘Star Wars: Tiny Death Star’ offline — Disney is
Let’s say you’re perpetually late to the party and are only just now getting around to checking out Star Wars: Tiny Death Star. Well, sadly your 11-month tardiness isn’t doing you any favors here: Disney is pulling the app from both Google Play and the App Store, as spotted by Gamezebo. An anonymous source told the site that Tiny Death Star and Star Wars Assault Team are getting the axe with the intent to retire them and focus on other titles instead. Ian Marsh, co-owner of Death Star developer NimbleBit, revealed to Gamezebo that the delisting is as much a surprise to him as it is to everyone else. Speaking to Pocket Gamer, he said that he hadn’t been told of any of this by Disney before it’d happened and that Mickey and Co. likely no longer felt the game was worth the cost of upkeep anymore. Death Star was a “significant source of revenue” for Marsh and his team, which he says makes this sting that much more.
Much like with Flappy Bird earlier this year, should you have the games on your device they’ll still remain playable, but won’t be updated or available for new players to download soon. It’s worth noting that this isn’t anything new for Disney: shortly after getting the Star Wars license, Walt’s empire halted work on the very promising, internally-developed Lucasfilm next-gen title, Star Wars 1313. As of this writing, Death Star was still on iTunes and the Windows Phone Store — maybe download while you can and then eBay your device later. Google fans, however, will have to settle for Angry Birds Star Wars.
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Software, Mobile
Source: Pocket Gamer, Gamezebo, iTunes
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Microsoft sues Samsung over the interest on billion-dollar patent payments
Microsoft had over a billion reasons (per year) to pursue a patent licensing deal with Samsung back in 2011 over the latter’s use of Android. That fact is laid bare by a lawsuit today over the interest on payments (based on the number of Android devices sold) that are supposed to flow from Korea to Redmond. Re/code posted the unsealed lawsuit this evening, showing how despite the existing deal, Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia last year lead to Samsung holding up its payment for the second fiscal year of the deal, and then refusing to pay interest on it. All of that is according to Microsoft, which also claims Samsung is threatening to hold off on paying its end for the third year of the seven-year deal. The documents reveal Microsoft’s patent licenses cover some 80 percent of the Android phones sold in the US (up from 70 percent in 2012), and that the deal includes provisions for Samsung to lower the amount owed by developing and marketing Windows phones and tablets, and for Microsoft’s use of Samsung patents. The amount in question? A paltry $6.9 million, although a decision on whether the deal will remain in force going forward is clearly worth more than that.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Microsoft
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Google reportedly tried to purchase Cyanogen Inc.
In what must be the most interesting headline this year, Google has apparently been turned down after expressing an interest to purchase Cyanogen Inc. – the maker of the largest custom Android ROM in the world.
According to a report by The Information, Google’s Sundar Pichai recently met with reps from Cyanogen and was turned down after Cyanogen published an request for an additional $1 billion in funding – essentially a ‘increase your offer’ message to Google.
Cyanogen has told investors that it plans on bringing low cost devices running Cyanogemod to India, which directly competes with Android One. Not only would an acquisiton put this back in Google’s control, but would also allow Google to regulate the distributed ROM further than the minimum requirements Cyanogenmod currently as to adhere to by shipping with Google Services.
Whilst $1 billion seems slightly on the larger side of an estimation from Cyanogenmod, perhaps it’s the hands-off they wanted to issue Google. After all, competition is good – even if they are both running Android.
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Google+ is the latest Android app to get a Material Design makeover
Google’s quest to bring that extra-flat, extra-colorful Material Design look to every single app is still underway, it seems. The search giant has posted an update to Google+ for Android that flattens even more of the social network’s interface and adds splashes of solid color, such as a bright red “new post” button. This isn’t just a cosmetic update, mind you. The Photos section is both simpler and better-looking, so it should be easier to share recent snapshots with your circles. At this rate, about the only software Google has left to officially Materialize is Android itself… which might happen soon.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Google
Via: Droid-Life
Source: Google Play
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Honda’s in-car Connect system does Android its own way (hands-on)
We just checked out Honda’s Connect solution for in-car entertainment and navigation, and while it’s Android-based, it’s not Android Auto — just Android, period. Still, it’s one of the first car companies to offer Google’s OS in-dash, despite an odd implementation. For starters, if you’re looking for the latest software, it’s far from that. The system has stepped back in time to Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.4, even though it uses NVIDIA’s latest Tegra chip. But Android Auto was only just announced recently, which may not have matched Honda’s timetable. In addition, the car company has its own suite of car apps that may not have worked with the latest and greatest Android flavors. All things considered though, it has serious potential — check our impressions below.
Honda’s engineers have definitely tried to squeeze a lot of functionality into the system, which may work well for some folks and not others. For instance, you can download and use Android apps along with Honda’s own car-specific apps, including an optional Garmin-powered GPS. Other functions included FM radio, CD playback, USB and HDMI connectivity, Mirrorlink and Bluetooth. While it’s great to have choices, we hope all of that functionality doesn’t make the system difficult to use. The interface was a bit more fussy than we’d like considering the need to watch the road. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem to be lacking much in functionality compared to a smartphone, making it potentially more useful than other in-car systems.
We were also impressed by how much you could actually tweak the system to your own preferences. There are two different basic home screen layouts to choose from, for instance, and you can select your own custom wallpaper. Honda pointed out that you can even modify it using an installed photo editing app, a rather droll activity to be performing in a car.
Still, Honda said that it’s an automotive device foremost, with features like a backup camera, gas gauge, service alerts and other core car functions. And we definitely like the idea of not being stuck with whatever features a car manufacturer deigns to give us in an infotainment system. We just hope that the final implementation from Honda works relatively smoothly, and that all the options don’t affect core functionality. From what we’ve seen so far, there are still a few rough edges to polish off. The system will be available as an option on 2015 Civics, Civic Tourers and CRVs.
Filed under: Transportation
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AIVAnet 