The 100% full wood Nexus 6P skin by Toast
I am not a huge fan of using cases for my smartphones because they add too much bulk. There is definitely a purpose to them if you’re the type who is rough on your smartphone. But if you are gentle on your devices you should strongly consider getting a skin. I have a really unique skin made by Toast on my Nexus 6P and it is pretty freaking amazing.
About Toast
Toast is a relatively new company getting its start in 2012 by a man named Matias Brecher which I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at CES 2016. My first impression was a good one. Similar to other people I know who own their own businesses, I could tell he took great pride and passion in his work. He was standing at the CES booth and actually applying real wood Toast skins to people’s personal phones.
Matias Brecher – “Papa Toast” at CES
In the 15 minutes I was at the booth, I did get a chance to speak with Matias and even though he was tired from being on the CES floor for three days straight, he took the time to tell me about his company. He even told me he was the one who designed and cut my custom AG skin.
Toast got its name by the process in which the designers engrave and cut with a laser that burns in a very precise manner. So Matias named his company after toast which also burns.
Toast is a true U.S. based company which does all of its business in Portland, OR. In just three quick years, they have already grown to a company of 10 where they handle every step of the skin creation process. They are very good people. Toast takes part in the 1% for the Planet program in which a minimum of 1% of Toast’s net proceeds are donated to help save the earth. It’s a rarity for such a new company to have a social conscience, but it does and I am happy to support a company like Toast.
“We are a small company dedicated to quality products and quality of life: for you, for us, and for our planet.”
Real wood skin made in the U.S.A.
Toast makes a wide variety of skins – mobile devices, tablets, gaming consoles and even custom skins out of real genuine wood. I happen to have the grey Nexus 6P which has an all metal body. And if you’ve owned an all metal device before you understand that metal can be easy to scratch. If you’re like me and are tired of having the same old look in a smartphone with most of them being black, white or gold, skins can offer a superior level of customization without adding bulk.
I have been a fan of the “wood” look but only a few devices employed the look. Leave it to Toast to fill that gap with real wood skins that can be applied to almost any smartphone. My Nexus 6P skin is made from Walnut with an Ebony inlay for the camera and custom laser etched AG in the center of the skin. I also have the optional Walnut front cover which rounds out skin.
Every single detail is covered when it comes to the Toast skin. The cutouts are perfect for the buttons, cameras, and sensors. The wood itself is about a millimeter thick which a sticky backing which means it is very delicate until it is actually applied to the phone. Since it does add thickness, the SIM slot, power and volume buttons are slightly recessed when the main skin is applied. But Toast provides perfectly cut out wood inserts for that too.
Every detail is well thought out and Toast even provides an alcohol swab to clean your device to make sure the skin gets proper adhesion.
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Installation
I am not a huge fan of applying skins because they can sometimes be painful, but not the Toast skin. The laser that does the cutting is perfect and I say that without exaggeration. Once you line up the rear microphone hole, found below the Nexus 6P camera, and align the buttons all you have to do is push down and it fits perfectly.
Once the main section is in place, I dropped in the Ebony AG insert as well as the camera insert. It was as simple as removing the protective covering over the glue and fitting it into the skin like a jigsaw puzzle. Following those, I then put the inserts in for the SIM card, power button and volume rocker. I was a little skeptical of the tight fit and was worried they would get stuck, but was pleasantly surprised when my buttons worked without issue. And then all I had to do was apply the front Walnut screen cover and I was done. The whole process took less than five minutes.
Results
The skin fit perfect. It gives my 6P a unique look that I have not seen before on another phone. It definitely adds grip to what otherwise is a slippery Nexus 6P, and it is 100% made in the U.S.A. and supports charity at the same time. It even smells a little like burned wood. Rather than talk up the results I am just going to provide some sweet pictures. Words can’t do it justice.
Summary
Of all of the skins I have tried, the Toast all wood skin is by far my favorite. It was super easy to apply, has a unique look and is made by a company with values that I adore. The skins start at just $34 and can work their way up to $50+ if you want custom designs and graphics. I highly recommend checking out Toast skins if you’re up for a new look. You will not be disappointed.
Learn more at Toastmade.com
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Hangouts gives you better call quality by skipping Google
If you don’t think Hangouts calls on your phone are passing muster, don’t worry — relief might be in sight. The latest version of Hangouts for Android is telling users that it’ll boost audio and video quality on future calls by making peer-to-peer connections “when possible.” In other words, it’ll bypass Google’s servers if both ends of the conversation can establish a direct link. The exact criteria for this isn’t listed, but it’s safe to say that this will at least work between two people using the latest Android software. You likely won’t notice much of a difference unless many of your friends upgrade, but don’t be surprised if your face-to-face and VoIP chats get that much clearer.
Via: Reddit, 9to5Google
Source: Google
130+ HD minimalist wallpapers of colors, macro images and more
Your phone probably has a fantastic display and there is no better way to see the beauty of it than through a wallpaper. We’ve collected a huge library of over 130 wallpapers of macro images, color, water droplets, dandelions and flowers all to make your background pop. These are perfect to show off the pixels and color gamut on your Android, iOS or Windows smartphones. They’ll also look great on your tablets as well.
We’ve changed things up lately and will be sharing the entire collection through Google Photos rather than hosting them on our servers. There are thousands of you who love these wallpapers and rather than drain the speed on our server, we’re offloading that responsibility to Google. All you have to do is join the collection through this link and you’re free to download all of the wallpapers to your device.
We would also love it if you tweeted screenshots of your home screens to us at Twitter.com (@AndroidGuys). We might feature your background in an upcoming wallpapers collection!
See the entire collection by clicking on this LINK to Google Photos.
Here some of our favorites from the collection.
Dandelion seed with water drops
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Report: Blackberry lays off a third of its Waterloo staff
Citing multiple sources, Mobilesyrup reported Friday that Blackberry has laid off roughly 35 percent of its workforce in Waterloo, Canada — where the company is headquartered. That translates into about 1000 people losing their jobs. According to Mobilesyrup, the BB10 and Devices divisions suffered the deepest cuts with 150 members of the latter team getting sacked. A small number of workers from Blackberry’s Sunrise, Florida office were also let go.
Blackberry has issued a statement confirming the layoffs:
As BlackBerry continues to execute its turnaround plan, we remain focused on driving efficiencies across our global workforce. This means finding new ways to enable us to capitalize on growth opportunities, while driving toward sustainable profitability across all parts of our business. As a result, a small number of employees have been impacted in Waterloo and Sunrise, FL. It also means that BlackBerry is actively recruiting in those areas of our business that will drive growth. For those employees that have recently left the company, we know that they have worked hard on behalf of our company and we are grateful for their commitment and contributions.
The layoffs aren’t a complete surprise, however, given that the company has recently begun transitioning to the Android OS in favor of its BB10 operating system.
Source: Mobile Syrup
Android OEMs, this is what we’ve been wanting in smartphones!
You know, too often it looks like Android smartphone manufacturers aren’t listening to our wants (or at very least, our top priorities). We’re the ones buying the phones after all!
I guess that’s not completely fair. I mean, my wants may be different from yours. But bear with me here. As of late, leading smartphones have somewhat reached a plateau, haven’t they? We’re no longer (in large) clamoring for faster processors or more resolution. Therefore, chances are that our wants, as a whole, are easier than ever to determine.
Let’s do this: I’ll list the top five things I would tell an OEM to prioritize in their next flagship. I’m betting that most Android users will agree.
Battery
We want our phones to last. There’s no point in packing all these neat features into a phone if it runs out of battery. The battery needs to be the top priority.
I can’t help but point my finger at Samsung on this point. Last year, it revamped the Galaxy line with a much needed makeover. Except, the Galaxy S6 had terrible battery life. This is just wrong. A manufacturer who puts battery life on the sideline for another feature is making a bad play. Shame, shame on a giant like Samsung for not knowing better.
Let’s talk with our wallets and not buy into a negligence to battery life. At the high price of flagships, we shouldn’t have to settle. If we don’t have the ability to swap the battery anymore, than we need to see considerably large capacities in flagships. Screw thinness, battery life matters so much more.
Camera Optical Zoom
Cameras on flagship phones are fantastic today. Last year, I did comparisons with the Galaxy S6 and LG V10 against a Sony RX100 camera. The results were astonishing when you think about how small the smartphone sensors are in comparison to a dedicated camera.
This means we can are rely on smartphone cameras more than ever for capturing the life around us. But zooming is often associated with camera use, and digital zoom is quite horrendous. Digital zooming is actually cropping, and the decrease in image quality shows in a big way, even on the best current smartphone cameras.
For an example, I’ll show you a preview of my upcoming LG V10 vs Asus ZenFone Zoom comparison. The ZenFone Zoom has 3x optical zoom, and the benefit is quite clear.
LG V10, 3x zoom
Asus ZenFone Zoom, 3x zoom
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OEMs are probably reluctant about incorporating optical zoom because camera modules are already thicker than they would like. Everyone likes to complain about the camera hump on the iPhone and Galaxy series. That means this is an argument about phone thinness again, and I would gladly take a thicker phone if it meant better features.
More base storage
We’ve taken this BS long enough. Why do we still see devices released with 16GB or even 32GB of internal storage? While storage space has progressed for everything else in the market (solid-state drives, flash drives, SD cards), OEMs continue to short change us. All while many have gotten rid of micro-SD expansion on phones. This is an injustice.
I see many folks say that the low internal storage isn’t a big deal, that they can manage. But we should neither have to manage nor settle. OEMs are pulling a fast one on us and we continue to let them. They know they can include much larger storage space, but don’t. Maybe they’re banking on us buying a new phone every time we run out?
Durability
Fragile phones just don’t make sense. They’re always in our hands, which means that gravity will claim them at some point. They should be designed to withstand accidents.
Historically, durable phones have been reserved for low/mid-end offerings from lesser known manufacturers (i.e. Kyocera). But I’ve always wondered why it has to be this way? Sure, we’ve seen some big manufacturers step up to the plate, like the Galaxy S Active line (which unfortunately has AT&T exclusivity), but they are too few and far between.
Another good example is Sony. While the Xperia line isn’t necessarily rugged, it has always had water and dust proofing. Motorola also had the right idea with last year’s Droid Turbo 2 and its “shatterproof” screen.
Part of the problem comes around to thinness again. Adding durability increases thickness. OEMs need to let go of the thin phone mentality.
Toned-down UI’s
More OEMs need to step up to the plate like Motorola did with regard to phone software. Phone makers love to pile on their own touches to Android, in an effort to stand out. The problem is that very few make an appealing user interface (UI).
For instance, Samsung’s TouchWiz UI has long been infamous in the Android community for unnecessary changes to the stock Android UI and being resource hungry. Last year’s Galaxy S6 had a big issue with multitasking, where it closed down apps seconds from leaving it. That isn’t how Android was made to behave.
All these affordable offerings coming from Chinese OEMs nowadays are compelling but bittersweet. Sure, you’ll be getting tons of value, but it’s almost certain the UI will be heavy and/or subpar. How I wish that there were more OEMs that would adopt Motorola’s methodology – near stock Android with some enhancements. Android fans want the stock UI.
We’d like to hear your feedback. Do you agree with my top five list of things phone makers need to prioritize today, or is there another feature that you think takes precedence?
The post Android OEMs, this is what we’ve been wanting in smartphones! appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Android Wear nabs new gestures and phone call features
Google today introduced Android Wear 1.4, the latest version of its wearable platform. This one’s not a minor update with bug fixes and patches; indeed, there’s plenty of new and cool stuff to found.
Key among the features is the ability to make and take calls via Bluetooth connectivity. Available for the Huawei Watch and ASUS ZenWatch 2, the capability is coming to more wearables in time.
To take advantage of the calling, the watch must include a speaker. Those that do will also be able to listen to audio messages from apps such as Glide.
Additionally, Android Wear has baked in some new gestures. For instance, users can expand cards, open the app drawer, or return to the home screen via pushing, lifting, and shaking – respectively.
Last, but not least, Android Wear users can now use voice more actively as part of the experience. It’s now possible to use your voice to send messages from apps like Google Hangouts, Nextplus, Telegram, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp.
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Bing Search on Android update improves price comparison
The Bing Search app for Android has been updated with new features including a price comparison tool and a handy deals finder.
Bing Search for Android aims to help users find things to do without the need of multiple apps, and now the experience has been upgraded with improved functionality.
A blog post from Bing offers up some more details on the latest additions to the app, one of which is a price comparison tool that works using a smartphone’s camera. Pointing a mobile at the barcode of a product will see the app search its database for better prices at other stores. Customer ratings are also displayed and the search supports major retailers including Amazon, Walmart and Target.
Bing Search’s makers say that it’s now easier to browse gas stations and their prices, too. A simple search using the app will list prices from GasBuddy and directions to those spots.
The last of the major updates is the Deals tool, which does exactly what you’d expect. Bing Search can now find deals near you, making it the ideal companion for shopping addicts.
Bing Search is free to download over on the Play Store, so we recommend you take a look if you’re a bargain hunter.
Come comment on this article: Bing Search on Android update improves price comparison
Select Twitter users are seeing a dedicated GIF button
Twitter has begun testing a new feature for fans of reaction GIFs. Some users have spotted a dedicated GIF button in their Android apps, smack dab in the middle of the camera and poll icons. Bank of the Ozarks Director of Marketing Phil Pearlman was able to test it out for TechCrunch and discovered that the new button is a portal to a selection of trending GIFs. It also categorizes entries based on moods, so you can easily find Captain Picard if you want to facepalm. A lot of people, including Pearlman, only had access to the button for a short while, though — it disappeared from their apps as quickly as it came.
Twitter will probably work with GIF sources (such as Giphy) like Facebook does if the feature gets a wider release, but only the company can say for sure. TechCrunch tried to ask for more info, but a spokesperson merely responded with an apt Justin Bieber GIF. Despite the lack of a longer response, we know Twitter’s fond of testing experimental features. This might make it to everyone’s apps in the future; for now, you’ll have to continue scouring the internet for reaction GIFs of your own.
If people aren’t seeing it yet twttr is testing way cool gif feature. cc @bluechoochoo pic.twitter.com/LuTsVeUiSs
— Phil Pearlman (@ppearlman) February 4, 2016
New gif button on Twitter… pic.twitter.com/GySgnQdogX
— TWD ~ RT or FAV (@WalkerBait_TWD_) February 4, 2016
Twitter has a gif button pic.twitter.com/fDxWhKAPrT
— |CG| ArmoredDeath (@ArmoredDeath) February 4, 2016
Source: TechCrunch
Apple Music now lets Android users save music to an SD card
Apple doesn’t often make Android apps, but when it does, it’s either to secure more iPhone users or give people access to Apple Music. Now that the streaming app has eclipsed one million downloads, the company has begun outfitting it with features that are native to Google’s mobile OS. In its most recent update, Apple Music has gained the ability to download tracks to an SD card, allowing users to store more of their chosen beats offline.
It’s a welcome addition for Apple Music users who may own a smartphone or tablet with limited built-in storage, but also those who may own a flagship device and want to travel with up to 128GB of music in their pocket. On top of that, the company now includes a full schedule of Beats 1 shows in the app and lets subscribers browse tracks by composers and compilations, making it easier to find and listen to new music.
Source: Apple Music (Google Play)
Tronsmart Titan 10A/90W 5-port USB charger charging station: review
Being a mobile enthusiast is a fun hobby. I find technology vital to staying connected while it helps me be efficient and on task. With that comes the need to charge a wide range of devices. And I can honestly tell you that with different charging specs on tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, speakers and cameras that having the right charger can mean the difference between destroying a battery and staying powered up.
I have been using the Tronsmart Titan 90W Charging Station with five ports to charge up all of my devices lately and I can tell you that I love it. Chargers are more commonplace than any other accessory, but high-quality chargers are a rare breed.
Design
The Tronsmart Titan is a 90W charger with enough power to charge five devices at full speed all of the time. The five port charging station is relatively big for a charger with a decent amount of weight, but really isn’t an issue for me. I don’t like desktop chargers that are so light that they shift around with light movement. It measures 6.25 x 3.25-inches while being about an inch thick and comes in a matte plastic finish with four rubber feet on the bottom.
There are five full USB sized charging ports in the front, with good spacing between them, so you don’t have force fit the five cables right next to each other. The center of each port is colored green which is a thoughtful addition as it makes it easy to see each port against the black plastic.
Each USB port is rated at 18W for a grand total of 90W, and each port comes with smart technology that allows you to charge your latest devices at the fastest speeds, including Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0.
The back of the charger holds the power switch so you can turn the charger on/off and not worry about vampire energy drain which can end up costing you a lot of extra money.
What are Energy Vampires?
Check out this excerpt from energy.gov:
Take, for example, the seemingly innocuous cell phone charger. As cellphones have become a staple of modern life, so have the devices that power them. To ensure that they’re able to be in constant contact, many Americans carry chargers in their bags, have them in their cars and even their office. So it shouldn’t come as much surprise to find that many cell phone users have one or more chargers constantly plugged in at their home. What most people don’t realize is that these chargers are continually drawing power, even when no device is connected to them. In fact, the average charger is consuming .26 watts of energy when not in use, and 2.24 watts even when a fully charged device is connected to it.
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By themselves, those watts won’t cause a huge increase in your energy bill. But if you add other common devices to the equation, you’ll begin to see why energy vampires are often responsible for adding 10 percent or more to your monthly utility bill.
Usage
I normally don’t think twice when it comes to chargers, but with my recent switch to Nexus devices with USB Type-C, and to unlocked smartphones, having the right charger has never been more important to me. The Tronsmart Titan touts VoltIQ technology which is the brains behind controlling the charging speeds depending on needs. Once you plug in your devices, the VoltIQ smart tech automatically identifies the voltage settings and adjusts charging speeds accordingly to make sure your device does not overheat and overcharge.
I really have no complaints when it comes to using the Tronsmart Titan. It charges all of my USB devices at the proper rate, and it is safe for the most sensitive devices like those with USB Type-C. I use it with my Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nuu Z8, Samsung Gear S2, Huawei Watch, LG V10, and NVIDIA Shield. It comes with me on all of my business trips in place of bulky individual chargers, and helps me minimize vampire energy drain with a simple flip of the power switch.
Specifications
Input: 100-240V (Max)
Output: 5V/2A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A (Max)
Total power:90W
What you will get
1 x Tronsmart UC5F Desktop USB Charger
1 x 5 Foot AC Power Cord
1 x Welcome Guide
Summary
Overall the Tronsmart Titan 90W 5-port USB charger is everything I could want in a desktop charger. It’s smart, safe and charges my devices at the quickest possible speeds. You can find it on sale now at Amazon.com for just $37.99. I highly recommend it.
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AIVAnet 