- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
3
Feb
14 sweet tech gifts for Valentine’s Day
Did you know Valentine’s day is just around the corner? You better make your dinner reservations now if you haven’t already. The traditional gifts to show your love are cards, chocolates and roses. There’s nothing wrong with those traditional gifts, but sometimes your significant other may want something different. Many of you can get away with not getting gifts, but why risk it? Isn’t it better to make someone happy and show your appreciation and love for them rather than to complain and call Valentine’s Day a Hallmark Holiday?
We’re a tech site and as such we have 14 Valentine’s gift suggestions for you. But you better order your gift soon if you haven’t already. The 14th is less than two weeks away.
Google Nexus 6P and Huawei Smart Watch – Save $50 on both from Google.com
Operating System
Display
- 5.7 inches
- WQHD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display at 518 ppi
Rear Camera
- 12.3 MP¹
- 1.55 µm pixels
- f/2.0 aperture
- IR laser-assisted autofocus
- 4K (30 fps) video capture
Front Camera
- 8MP camera
- 1.4 µm pixels
Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1
- 2.0 GHz Octa-core 64-bit
- Adreno 430 GPU
Memory & Storage²
- RAM: 3 GB LPDDR4
- Internal storage: 32 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB
Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker – $129.99 LINK
- Clear, full-range sound you might not expect from a compact speaker
- Voice prompts make pairing your devices easier than ever
- Up to 8 hours of music from rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Wireless connection to your smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth-enabled device
Sphero BB-8 App-Enabled Droid – $135.99 LINK
- Authentic Movement: Guide your BB-8 with a smartphone or tablet
- Listens & Responds: BB-8 recognizes and reacts to your voice
- Holographic Messaging: Record and view virtual holographic videos with BB-8
- Autonomous Behavior: BB-8 has a mind of its own – explore the Star Wars galaxy together
- Adaptive Personality: Your BB-8’s unique attitude and actions evolve as you interact
- Authentic Movement: Guide your BB-8 with a smartphone or tablet
- Listens & Responds: BB-8 recognizes and reacts to your voice
Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch – LINK
- Function meets style with elegant curves and premium finishes
- Intuitive circular interface and rotating bezel for easy navigation
- Access to important notifications, texts, and updates at a glance
- Compatible with Android 4.4 and later with 1.5GB RAM. Some features may not be available. For best compatibility, connect with Samsung Galaxy devices.
- Wireless charging dock included
- 1.2-Inch Display Size
- 4GB Internal Memory / RAM 512MB
Amazon Echo – $179.99 – LINK
- Plays all your music from Prime Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more using just your voice
- Fills the room with immersive, 360º omni-directional audio
- Allows hands-free convenience with voice-control
- Hears you from across the room with far-field voice recognition, even while music is playing
- Answers questions, reads audiobooks and the news, reports traffic and weather, gives info on local businesses, provides sports scores and schedules, and more with Alexa, a cloud-based voice service
- Controls lights and switches with compatible WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Wink, Insteon, and other smart home devices
- Always getting smarter and adding new features and skills–over 95 added since launch
Kindle Fire 7″ – $49.99 LINK
- Beautiful 7″ IPS display (171 ppi / 1024 x 600) and fast 1.3 GHz quad-core processor. Rear and front-facing cameras.
- All-new Amazon Underground, a one-of-a-kind app store experience where over $10,000 in apps, games and even in-app items are actually free – including extra lives, unlocked levels, unlimited add-on packs and more
- Enjoy more than 38 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps and games
- 8 GB of internal storage. Free unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content and photos taken with Fire devices. Add a microSD card for up to 128 GB of additional storage.
- Updated user interface – Fire OS 5 designed for quick access to your apps and content plus personalized recommendations that make it easy to discover new favorites
- Up to 7 hours of reading, surfing the web, watching videos, and listening to music
- Stay connected with fast web browsing, email, and calendar support
Magazine Subscription to Texture – LINK
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With Texture, you have an all-access pass to world’s best magazines. So anytime you want to read something great, you can. Choose any issue from a catalog that includes all the top magazines in every category.
It’s magazine reading without limits. Flip through an entire issue that hit newsstands today. Or dig into a single article from a back issue in the vast archive. Audio and video exclusives bring extra dimension to the experience.
Caseco Blu-Toque Dual Layered Bluetooth Knit Hat – $49.99 LINK
- Wear your Blu-Toque while walking the dog, working outside, commuting, or going for a jog.
- Knit from soft synthetic wool, Blu-Toque is lightweight, warm, and water resistant.
- Blu-Toque is universal?it works with any Bluetooth device.
- Take calls and listen to music right from this integrated beanie. No more headphones, no more wire
August Smart Lock – Keyless Home Entry with Your Smartphone, Red – $149.99 LINK
- Secure – Safe, keyless access to your home with iOS and Android smartphones
- Easy DIY Retrofit Install, – Replace the interior of your existing deadbolt; outside is unchanged
- Total Control – You control who has access to your home and manage how long their access lasts
- Always On – Powered by batteries means it’s always on, even if your power, Wi-Fi, or cable go down
Behmor Connected Temperature Control Coffee Maker – $299.99 LINK
- Customizable, temperature control coffee maker with phone app for easy operation
- Free Behmor app works on Apple iOS 7 and higher (available now); Android 4.0+ and higher (available January 2016)
- Create your favorite brewing profile including brewing temperature and pre-soak time or select from app’s library
- Delayed Brew option heats the water waiting to brew
- Double walled thermal carafe holds 8 5oz cups per brew cycle
WeMo Switch, Wi-Fi Enabled, Control your Electronics from anywhere – $39.99 LINK
- Turn appliances and electronics on or off from anywhere. Never worry if you left the iron, coffeemaker or hair straightener on. Turn on the nightlight for your little ones!
- Easy to install and simple to use
- Set schedules and receive customized notifications
- Works with any smartphone or tablet running Android 4.0 and higher or iOS 5 and higher. Electrical Rating120V/15A/60Hz/1800W
- Compatible with Amazon Echo for voice control hands-free convenience
1byone Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Dimmable Multicolored LED Light Bulb – $30.99 LINK
- Multicolored & ever-changing – Small smart LED bulb can convert 7 main colors – over 16 million supported colors, plus warm and cool white. You can choose your favourite color for each situation to surround you in your room.
- Music playing via Bluetooth – Connect to your bluetooth devices easily, and the built-in Bluetooth speaker enables you to enjoy music anywhere. Play music from the app or your usual program and have the bulb change colors automatically.
- Smart Functions – This smart light bulb can play your music, match the lights to the music, has a normal white lights mode, can adjust the brightness, can be renamed and can set a timer in the app to switch off / on. Wake up to your favourite music and color or come home with lights already switched on.
Jabra SPORT PACE Wireless Bluetooth Headset – $99.99 LINK
- Premium wireless sound and inline buttons to control music or phone calls
- Secure and comfortable fit with behind the ear wearing style and multiple sized ear gels
- Built toward US Military standards for rain, sweat, shock and dust resistance (IP54 rated)
- Rapid charge feature to provide an hour’s worth of bather life in only 15 minutes of charging. Reflective cable for early morning or nighttime usage
- Integrated training via Sport Life App to provide in-ear readouts during workouts: pace, time, distance, calories burned. Also works with most popular 3rd party sports applications.
Honor 5X Metal Body Unlocked Smartphone – Gold 16GB $199.99 LINK
- Unlocked Dual SIM LTE smartphone with three card slots. Supports nano-sim, micro-SIM, and a microSD card up to 128GB. Works with AT&T and T-Mobile Networks.
- Sleek, robust housing crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum made with four metal finishing processes.
- An accurate fast fingerprint sensor improves with time and unlocks in 0.5 Seconds. Set your fingers as shortcuts to call contacts and take photos.
- Powered by Android 5.1 Lollipop with 16GB Internal memory and 2 GB RAM. A Qualcomm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor renders a smooth, responsive experience.
- A Picture perfect 5.5-Inch, 1080P full HD display can Show off your 13MP Camera pictures with shooting modes like time-lapse, slow-motion, and perfect-selfie.
The post 14 sweet tech gifts for Valentine’s Day appeared first on AndroidGuys.
3
Feb
Microsoft is reportedly buying SwiftKey
Microsoft has made a habit out of acquiring significant mobile app makers, but its next deal may cut particularly close to the bone for smartphone fans. The Financial Times‘ sources understand that Microsoft is on the cusp of acquiring software keyboard maker SwiftKey for $250 million. The exact intent isn’t clear — Microsoft isn’t commenting. However a more advanced input method may be only part of why it’s interested.
SwiftKey’s keyboards have long had a good reputation thanks to their prediction algorithm, which is both smarter than most and optionally taps into your own email and social networks for help. Microsoft could use that to boost its Word Flow keyboard. However, SwiftKey’s prediction recently got much smarter: the company has been trying out neural network technology to better understand what you want to write. For Microsoft, acquiring SwiftKey could help implement artificial intelligence (currently all the rage among rivals) into its products.
This may not be very reassuring if you like SwiftKey, though. Microsoft tends not to discontinue acquired products right away, but their long-term fates vary. Acompli’s email app eventually became Outlook Mobile, but Sunrise Calendar? That’s being discontinued as Microsoft folds its features into Outlook. It’s easy to see SwiftKey surviving due to sheer popularity, but don’t be shocked if you eventually have to look at Swype or other alternatives.
Source: Financial Times
2
Feb
February 2016 Android distribution has been released
Google has updated their Android distribution for the month of February, and it looks like Marshmallow is slowly coming to more phones. Last month it was at 0.7% and jumped to 1.2% this month.
It’s always good to see the latest Android version coming to more devices, but pretty sad that it is only on 1.2% of devices. Especially since it was released roughly four months ago. Not even flagship devices like my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge has Android 6.0 yet.
However, the other Android versions out there have pretty much stayed the same as before. The only other noticeable change is on Lollipop, which was at 32.6% and is now at 34.1%.
Source: Android
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2
Feb
New Android distribution figures show Marshmallow cresting 1%
Android just released the new distribution numbers for February 2016, and Marshmallow has finally crossed the 1% threshold. January saw a .5% increase from the close of 2015, bringing Marshmallow’s usage to 1.2%. This figure looks miniscule, but when you think about it, moving from .7% to 1.2% is a pretty big leap. You know. For Marshmallow.
I mean, it’s not like iOS is able to roll out updates that much faster. A quick look at their distribution numbers and you’ll immediately see… Oh, yikes. 77.3% of all iPhones are running the latest version, iOS 9. 13.3% are running iOS 8, and a slim 8.4% are running iOS 7. Once you go back three versions of Apple’s mobile operating system, the distributions drop below 1%.
See also: Google in control: Does Android need to be more like iOS?
Compare this to the Android ecosystem: three versions back is Jelly Bean, and our old friend JB is still being used by 23.9% of devices. Lollipop is sitting pretty at 34.1%, but the biggest piece of the pie goes to KitKat with 35.5% of the distribution. As it stands, more than twice as many people are currently running Gingerbread (2.7%) than are running Marshmallow.
The fragmentation of the Android ecosystem is something that is becoming an increased concern for the operating system’s owner Google. Where Apple has the edge in this battle is total conformism. The company has complete control over the way their devices are designed, so updates to the operating system only have to be tweaked to match a relative handful of specs. The Android ecosystem, however, is an incredibly diverse world with few strictures and limits. This makes rolling out updates exceedingly tedious and drawn-out. This is just one reason why Google has elected to make the Nexus line very ‘Apple-like.’
See also: Report: Google plans to take an ‘Apple-like’ approach to the Nexus line
In full disclosure, the figures used here for iOS distribution rates are not officially provided by Apple, but are the work of a developer tracking the versions being used for his popular audiobook apps. However, these percentages are generally regarded as being more or less representative of iOS usership as a whole.
What are your thoughts regarding these new distribution figures and Google’s concerns over fragmentation? What solutions are at the company’s disposal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Next: Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates roundup – January 19, 2016
2
Feb
Google’s self-driving simulator helps it refine its cars
Google’s self-driving simulator apparently plays a big role in the development of the company’s autonomous vehicle technology despite its cadre of cars being tested on actual roads. In its latest project report, the tech leviathan has revealed that it travels 3 million virtual miles every single day — enough to circle the equator five times every hour — to refine the features of its self-driving software. That simulator requires loads of computing power, but if there’s any company with the data centers capable of keeping it running, it’s Google.
The Big G uses it to extensively test any changes to its software before rolling updated versions out. For instance, the simulator runs Google’s latest software to drive the routes the company’s actual cars had previously driven to see if there’s a change in their behavior.
Here’s one example:
…to make left turns at an intersection more comfortable for our passengers, we modified our software to adjust the angle at which our cars would travel. To test this change, we then rerun our entire driving history of 2+ million miles with the new turning pattern to ensure that it doesn’t just make our car better at left turns, but that the changes creates a better driving experience overall.
Besides recalling old routes, Google also regularly creates scenarios with the simulator to fine-tune certain features. In the past, the company tapped into that ability to conjure up thousands of situations wherein its vehicle has to do a three-car merge to make sure its technology has truly mastered the skill. If the simulator proves that the self-driving software still needs more tweaking, though, then Google’s engineers can make changes before it makes its way to the current crop of vehicles under testing.
Source: Google
2
Feb
Will BlackBerry abandon BB10 in favor of Android?
BlackBerry CEO John Chen is hoping for a brighter future in the device manufacturing business. And though it hasn’t been clearly stated, it seems Android is a main factor in this mysterious equation for success. They have been sticking to the outdated (albeit secure) BB10 for years, but the BlackBerry Priv could have simply been the first of many Android devices to come.
Rumors of at least one new Android-running device coming from BlackBerry in 2016 have been spreading. Furthermore, the company is not dismissing the possibility of a mid-range Android phone coming in the future. This is enough commitment as it comes, but it seems that’s not where they are stopping. The latest statements from BlackBerry senior director Damian Tay suggest we will see more Android BlackBerry phones. Much, much more.
Also read:
- BlackBerry Priv review
- BlackBerry Priv – second opinion
- BlackBerry Priv: 5 things I like & 5 things I don’t
- BlackBerry giving you $100 worth of accessories if you buy a Priv before February 24
In fact, it seems the company may be considering straight out dumping their BB10 platform in favor of Android! Now, that’s a move I would call radical… and as Android fans we certainly wouldn’t dislike it.
“The PRIV device is essentially our transition to Android ecosystem. As we secure Android, over a period of time, we would not have two platforms, and may have only Android as a platform [for smartphones]. But for now, we have BB10 and Android platforms for our smartphones.
The future is really Android. We went for Android essentially for its app ecosystem. In addition, all the enterprise solutions that we have been doing have been cross-platform for a long time now. So it’s a natural progression towards Android.”
-Damian Tay, senior director, APAC product management at BlackBerry
Tay also mentions that the main reason why they keep selling BB10 handsets is government use, but the hope is to transition to Android as the company becomes more of a services provider, instead of a platform pioneer.
BB10 continues to be the more secure option, but the plan is to bring their Android handsets up to speed. Only then will BlackBerry be able to pull such a move.
Will they reach that point? Only time will tell, but until that day comes we can at least continue to enjoy more Android devices coming from BlackBerry. We know how much you love their keyboards and build quality, and definitely understand why.
2
Feb
HTC is doubling down on deals this week starting tomorrow
HTC normally runs a weekly deal on its website where you can get heavily discounted products on Tuesdays. In celebration of Groundhog’s Day, HTC has decided to offer two specials this week:
- Tuesday, February 2: Buy an HTC One A9 and get a free Jabra headset
- Wednesday, February 3: get 60% off the RE camera
HTC did not specify which Jabra headset it will be offering in the promotion, but you can be assured that all Jabra headsets typically perform very well. The HTC One A9 is a fantastic release from HTC and comes in an all metal body while running Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Deals will go live at 12:01am ET and will last until midnight PT each day at www.htc.com/us/hotdeal.
HTC One A9 highlights:
- Size – 145.75 x 70.8. x 7.26 mm
- CPU Speed – Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 617, Octa-core; 64-bit, 4 x 1.5GHz + 4 x 1.2GHz
- Main camera: 13MP with sapphire cover lens, auto-focus
- Memory – 3GB RAM / 32GB Storage
- Display – 5.0 inch, Full HD 1080p, Corning Gorilla Glass
The post HTC is doubling down on deals this week starting tomorrow appeared first on AndroidGuys.
2
Feb
Google may take total control over making the Nexus
Most people in the Android community have heard of the Nexus line. Their software is totally stock from Google and their hardware is from some other manufacture. However, that all could change in the future.
Google seems to be continuing forward with its plan to completely control the Nexus line to compete directly with the iPhone. It would still run stock Android, but hardware would now be made by Google as well. Of course, they will probably source parts from other manufactures like everyone else, but overall, the device would be theirs.
Google makes huge money off of Android as is, but reports say Google is still worried about Apple. They feel this may be the only way to deliver an Android product that consumers will love in order to take away business from the iPhone. Doing this would also make everything work even smoother together than before. That is the main reason people enjoy their iPhones so much.
There still isn’t a ton of proof showing Google will do this, but they did already do this with their Pixel line of Chromebooks and tablets. Doing a similar strategy with the Nexus doesn’t seem to far-fetched.
Source: The Information
Via: Phandroid
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1
Feb
Google wants more control over Nexus smartphones
Google’s Nexus phones to date have been partnerships, where the hardware manufacturer lets its talents ships. The Nexus 6P may be Android’s ultimate reference device, but there’s no mistaking that Huawei made it. However, that relationship might be changing soon. Sources for The Information claim that Google is pushing for more control over Nexus phones, to the point where it would effectively reduce partners to contractors. The folks in Mountain View would design the hardware and software — vendors would just make sure that those devices become reality. Think of products like the Pixel C if you need an example of where this might go.
Such a move could be risky. Nexus device makers don’t make much money from each device (Google keeps a 15 percent cut of sales, according to tipsters), and now they might not even get their name on the back. What would be the point, apart from promoting Android as a whole? However, there might be some takers. HTC is reportedly one of them — the cash-strapped company is supposedly in talks with Google about making more Nexus hardware, and the deal would give it a much-needed (if short-term) boost to revenue and shipments.
Google may consider it worth the price. The company still makes most of its mobile service revenue from iOS devices, which puts it in an uncomfortable position: Apple could make life miserable for Google if it wanted to. Fully Google-designed Nexus phones might not only give Android a bigger share of the high-end phone market (where Apple thrives), but produce a better showcase for Google services.
Source: The Information
1
Feb
Samsung adds support for ad blockers in their Android web browser
Samsung joined a small but growing list of companies making it a bit easier for consumers to block content, notably advertising, on their mobile devices. The market got a big boost last year when Apple announced support for ad-blocking plugins in the Safari browser on iOS 9. Now Samsung is adding a similar feature to their own web browser that ships on Samsung smartphones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow or higher.
Many users make use of ad-blocking plugins and technology on their desktop and laptop devices. However, despite the potential to save on mobile data usage and load pages much quicker, interest in ad-blocking on mobile devices is still lackluster. Even on the iOS platform, after an initial spike in interest when Apple first announced support, ad blockers have fallen off the radar in the App Store. Meanwhile, even a huge company like Google has not yet seen fit to support ad-blocking plugins in their mobile Chrome browser.
With Samsung’s new support for ad-blocking in their browser, users may be looking for a plugin. Thus far Adblock Fast and Crystal are both available in the Play Store and support the Samsung Internet 4.0 browser.
Will the ability to block ads prompt you to make a switch to Samsung’s browser instead of using a browser like Chrome?
source: The Verge
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