Many Samsung apps coming to iOS in 2016
Although no official announcement yet, the folks over at SamMobile say that inside sources they’re fairly confident in have revealed that Samsung plans to bring the vast majority of its apps to the iOS over the course of this year. In fact, it might even be possible that all of Samsung’s apps will be arriving on iPhones soon.
This comes right on the coat-tails of Samsung’s announcement that the Gear S2 will soon have iOS support. Although many Samsung apps are already available in the App Store, some key apps from the Samsung line are definitely missing. The company is looking to make even more of their stuff compatible with Apple products.
Right off the bat, it looks like the Gear Fit Manager is going to be one of the most important apps to land on iOS. This will add the Gear Fit to the list of potential fitness trackers available to iPhone users. Pairing nicely with this, Apple fans will also get access the S Health app, which is a pretty sleek all-around health monitoring tool.
See also: Apple demanding $180M extra cash in settlement from Samsung
Although the Smart Camera app is currently available on iOS, it looks like Samsung will soon be taking the photo-snapping program a lot more seriously. The UI right now is pretty clumsy, by many accounts, but it looks like the app is slated for a full overhaul. Before long, controlling Samsung smart cameras from your iPhone will be a cinch.
Finally, iPhone users will be getting Galaxy View support via Remote Control and Family Squar apps for the iOS. This will give these users the ability to control the Galaxy View from their smartphones as easily as Android users currently can.
Although the company is clearly up to its elbows in the Android operating system, it’s important for Samsung to ensure that its non-smartphone devices interact smoothly with smartphones regardless of operating system. This initiative is part of their push for the ever-developing Internet of Things, which requires fluid interaction between a wide variety of devices, accessories, and wearables.
What do you think of Samsung filling out their iOS app line? Let us know in the comments below!
Web link crashes Safari on your iPhone or Mac
You’ve probably run into websites (or buggy browsers) that have inadvertently bogged down your devices, but there’s one lurking out there that causes very intentional grief. If you visit crashsafari.com (we’re not going to link it, for obvious reasons), the site will generate an ever-larger character string that creates a lot of problems. As the name implies, it’ll reliably crash Apple’s Safari browser on Macs — and on iOS devices, you’ll probably need to reboot. The code also appears to affect Chrome on Android and PCs, although not to such a severe and predictable degree.
There doesn’t appear to be any malware lurking behind the code, and you should be fine once you restart your browser or device. However, there are concerns that someone could use the crash to compromise your security (some attacks rely on crashes to open vulnerabilities)… or at least, use a URL shortener to hide the link and pull a prank. We’ve reached out to Apple for its take on the situation, and we’ll let you know if it has a response. In the meantime, you’ll probably want to avoid visiting any obscured links from people you don’t trust.
crashsafari working on Android and PC
— Fake Jailbreak (@hatefakejb) January 25, 2016
Via: AppleInsider
Source: Guardian, Fake Jailbreak (Twitter)
Amazon wants to integrate its services with your smartphone
Just because the Fire phone bombed in spectacular fashion doesn’t mean that Amazon is giving up on smartphones altogether. Sources for The Information understand that Amazon is talking to Android phone makers about integrating its services on a “factory level,” not just by bundling apps. In a sense, your phone would behave a bit like a Fire tablet — content from the likes of Prime Video would get relatively prominent placement.
There aren’t any named manufacturers, and it’s not clear just how far along those talks are. With that said, it’s no secret that Amazon wants a better mobile footprint than it has today. Right now, you typically have to sideload some Amazon services (most notably the Appstore) due to the company’s aversion to some of Google Play’s rules. This would provide an end run around that giant obstacle. You wouldn’t have to lift a finger to use a wide range of Amazon’s offerings, and you might not have to give up Google services (as you do on Fire tablets) in the process.
Whether or not this would work is another story. The Fire phone failed in part because it was focused more on selling Amazon services than actually helping users — if any future tie-in is too obvious, it might turn people off. Remember the dismal failure that was the Facebook-centric HTC First? As much as Amazon might like to dominate your next phone, it might have to accept a more limited presence to make some inroads.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Ted S. Warren]
Source: The Information
Google Play Games no longer needs a Google+ account
Google’s plan to scrub Google+ requirements just went one step further. Sometime this year, Google Play Games will no longer require a Google+ account to function — you can just use a basic Google account to start playing. You won’t get nagging permissions requests, and the new approach will sign you in for every game you have rather than one at a time. That should make life much easier, especially if you didn’t want personal details linked to your game sessions.
The transition shouldn’t create any problems for you unless a game goes out of its way to use specific Google+ features (which, let’s face it, isn’t likely). One thing’s for sure: at this rate, Google+ is quickly being reduced to just a social network, rather than the seemingly inescapable catch-all internet service it was originally meant to be.
Via: The Next Web
Source: Android Developers Blog
Spotify’s video service launches on Android this week
It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like Spotify is about to launch its video service this week, starting with Android. Rumors that the Swedish music-streaming giant would move into video began last year, but details on how that service might look remained sparse. Today, the firm confirmed that it’s Android users in the US, UK, Germany and Sweden that will find out first, with iOS users following soon after, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The content you can expect to see comes from a mix of providers, including the BBC, Comedy Central, ABC and ESPN (among others). The secret sauce behind how Spotify plans to present the content is still unclear. Shiva Rajaraman, the company’s vice president of product, told the WSJ that videos would come in bundles, such as “News of the Week” or “Laughs at Lunch” which is in keeping with that backbone of the Spotify world: the playlist.
As with its music service, there’s still a question about how Spotify will monetize video streaming. At launch there won’t be advertising on the videos, with the move more about entering new markets, and competing with rivals. Especially YouTube. Google’s video giant has been making headway into music since the launch of Music Key (which became YouTube Music), giving Spotify lots to think about — the results of which might include adding social components to its apps, and incorporating more niche features.
Via: Business Insider
Source: WSJ
How to use Google Handwriting Input as an alternative to typing on a keyboard
Google released an app called Google Handwriting Input early in 2015 and it aims to make writing easier by using your handwriting to create words and emojis. Whether you choose to use a stylus or fingertip, the Google Handwriting Input app allows both, and incredibly supports 87 languages. It’s 100% free to download and use so give it a try if you like to use one hand when writing on a smartphone or tablet.
Key features:
• A useful complement to touchscreen typing or voice input
• A fun way to enter emojis by drawing
• Useful for languages that can be challenging to type on a standard keyboard
• Works across your Android phones and tablets running Android 4.0.3 and up
• If you claim your handwriting is terrible, try it out and see if it can convince you otherwise
How to install and activate Google Handwriting Input
- Install the Google Handwriting Input app from the Google Play Store first – LINK
- Once installed, open the app and follow the instructions to enable the use of Google Handwriting Input
- Once enabled give handwriting a try – it’s pretty easy and don’t forget to use the space bar
- The app recognizes when you use capitalization and can also recognize emojis
- Switch between handwriting and your regular QWERTY keyboard by clicking on the globe at the bottom left of your keyboard
Which languages are supported?
At the moment Google Handwriting Input supports 87 languages: Afrikaans, Albanian, Arabic, Azerbaijani, Basque, Belarusian, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Catalan, Cebuano, Chinese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Khmer, Korean, Kurdish, Kyrgyz, Lao, Latin, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Maori, Marathi, Mongolian, Myanmar, Nepali, Norwegian, Nyanja, Odia, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Somalian, Spanish, Sundanese, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh, Xhosa, Zulu
Where to find keyboard settings
There are two options:
-
- Go to “Settings -> Languages & input -> Google Handwriting Input Settings”
- Alternatively, long-press the globe button to open the Google Handwriting Input Settings directly.
Google Handwriting Input – Google Play Store LINK
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Beat the cold and stay connected with these five tech accessories
The great blizzard on the east coast just dropped a massive amount of snow. The sun is now shining and it’s time to dig out from under that snow. Going outside in the snow and ice is not only painful, but it’s a must with work and school tomorrow. We have selected five products that can help keep you warm, connected and safe.
Caseco Blu-Toque Dual Layered Bluetooth Knit Slouch Hat with Built-In Headset – 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
iGotTech 3300182 Texting Gloves for Smartphones – LINK
- TEXTING GLOVES ~ Decide to type smart in the cold! No more numb fingers in the name of wintertime texting.
- SMART TOUCH GLOVES ~ You’ll LOVE the luxurious, soft feel of this premium material and brushed interior.
- SMARTPHONE GLOVES ~ Buy a couple pairs now! Everyone in the family gets cold outside, but who can let their phone go? You’ve got ’em covered.
- WINTER TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES ~ Our latest “Touch-nology” is all wrapped up in your fingertips for smart, fun, warm smarphone love oudoors
OtterBox DEFENDER Cell Phone Case
The cold sucks the power out of your batteries. Keep your phone insulated with a heavy duty case from OtterBox. The added protection will help keep your smartphone from developing moisture while keeping it protecting from the severe cold.
- Multi-layered case equipped with maximum protection for your daily adventures
- Incorporated screen protector guards touchscreen from harm
- Port plugs allow for easy access while locking out dust and debris
- Polycarbonate inner shell
- Internal foam padding
OtterBox for Samsung Galaxy Note5 – LINK
OtterBox DEFENDER SERIES for Samsung Galaxy S6 – LINK
OtterBox Defender Case for LG G4 – LINK
Syma X5C Explorers 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro RC Quadcopter With HD Camera – LINK
Need to check the snow build up on your roof? Rather than get the ladder out and climb in icy conditions, now is the perfect time to consider using a drone with a built-in camera. You can check your roof from the bottom floor of your house while staying safe.
- Equipped with HD camera and 2GB Micro SD card
- Perform flips at the press of a button with 360 degree eversion
- Wind resistant and can be flown indoors or outdoors
- 6-axis Gyro stabilization system ensures maximum stability during flight
- 7 Minute flight time and 100 minute charge time.
Bosch PSJ120L-102 Men’s 12-volt Max Lithium-Ion Soft Shell Heated Jacket- LINK
- 100% Polyester – Wind and Rain Resistant
- Imported
- Three Quick Warming Heat Zones – Two chest zones and one back zone start warming in a matter of seconds
- Three-Level Heat Controller – High (Red), medium (Green) and Low (Blue) for Maximum Control and Comfort
- Up to 6 Hours Heated Runtime – Maximum runtime with Bosch 12-Volt Max batteries on low setting
- USB Charging Option for Most Personal Electronics – While in Jacket Pocket (5V/1A Max Output)
- High Quality Water and Wind Resistant Design with Adjustable Sleeves and Waist – Maximum Comfort While Working
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Order the Letv 1s 5.5″ Android Lollipop 1080p octa-core smartphone for just $200
Letv has a sweet phone for just $200 with free shipping and a 30-day guarantee from everybuy.net. The Letv 1s is on sale for a limited time and it comes in a gorgeous all metal build with a fingerprint reader on the back of the case. Usually with budget smartphones you get budget cameras, but the Letv 1s puts the camera in its focus by putting in a 13MP sensor.
The Letv 1s is fully unlocked and comes with dual SIM capability for use on GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile. It also comes with a 64-but octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of base memory. These are quite impressive specs and are all packed into an all metal build.
Letv 1s – LINK
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Screen
CPU: MTK6795 64bit Octa Core 2.2GHz
GPU: PowerVR G6200
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM
Camera: Dual Cameras, front camera 5.0MP camera, back camera 13.0MP
Sensor: Gravity Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor and Fingerprint Sensor
Bluetooth: 4.0
Features: GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Beidou
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, one Nano SIM Card, one Micro SIM Card
Network:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 850/1900/2100MHz
4G: FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz
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Samsung needs to make radical changes to revitalize its Galaxy lineup
Samsung still dominates the Android smartphone market with its Galaxy S series and Note line. But the once powerhouse has been slipping and has changed upper management a couple of times in order to revive its mobile lineup. Last year brought on a revolutionary change for Samsung where they sacrificed expandable memory and a replaceable battery for an all metal and glass build. While that pleased many, it also angered fans like me who prefers functionality over high quality materials. And since then, Samsung changes its upper management again signaling a failure in last year’s lineup.
16GB of memory isn’t enough for most when 5-7GB of that “16GB” is already being used before you turn your phone on. Paying another $100 for an additional 16GB memory is a joke when you can buy a 32GB card from Amazon for $10. Many people still use their Galaxy Note 3, Note 4, S3 and S4, and having a replaceable battery is vital to maintaining power throughout the day. Batteries for those phones are $10 or less and if you have taken care of your phone, the only item you would need to replace is the battery as they have a maximum amount of recharge cycles.
Samsung claims to have “cut back” on the level of modifications to Android with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note5. This simply was not true. All of those modifications require more power, faster processors and more RAM. Those additional TouchWiz features also cause long term stability issues and slow Samsung from releasing major software updates like Android M. No one knows when they’re really going to get Android M especially when you add on carrier customizations and added level of updates. TouchWiz is still in full effect on current Galaxy phones, but Samsung got slightly better about hiding them.
What Samsung needs to do in order to regain and also add new customers
LG and Huawei are looking to kick Samsung’s butt this year. So is Apple with a complete redesign in its iPhone 7. Samsung needs to go beyond the build materials this time around and actually give users value, updates, affordable accessories, and top level customer service.
Get rid of TouchWiz and stop letting carriers add bloat
Kill TouchWiz. Don’t mess with us anymore and tell us you scaled it back. Just kill it and start over. Follow Motorola’s lead and just give select useful features. No one uses 95% of the junk you install on the phones especially when they are duplicates of Google Play apps. S-Voice, Galaxy App Store, annoying sounds, ugly looks all need to go bye-bye. The investment on wasted duplication software can’t be spent better else where. It’s not only a waste of money, but it is a waste of performance and space.
Keep it simple. All of those TouchWiz additions help contribute to memory issues, overheating, lag, and poor performance. When we pay for 3 or 4GB of RAM, and the fastest Exynos processor according to benchmarks, we expect it to be fast. We don’t want that extra money to be spent on compensating for the terrible software Samsung overlays onto Android. Both the Nexus 6P and 5X outperform Galaxy devices because the software is unadulterated and both devices have far inferior internals.
Samsung also needs to stop letting carriers add in their bloatware. On AT&T, Samsung lets AT&T install over 25 apps that can be disabled, but not deleted, and it wastes over 1.5GB of memory. And to make matters worse, AT&T has to update Samsung’s update to, Google’s update which means the flagships from Samsung regularly take six to twelve months just to get a major update.
Give us our value back in our hardware
Samsung charges the most of all Android manufacturers for its devices, and has set the standard for $650-800 smartphones, but are regularly cutting back on features. Samsung needs to bring back replaceable batteries. And Samsung also needs to bring back microSD card slots, especially when the base model Galaxy S6 only has 16GB of memory. Sure the Nexus 5X has a fixed amount of memory, but it only costs $350 versus $650 of the S6 edge. And the Nexus 5X isn’t the flagship, instead it is a mid-range smartphone.
Samsung also needs to put wireless chargers and headphones “in the box” to give more value. Headphones are vital to most people and it shouldn’t have to be an additional cost when they used to be provided for free. Only Apple truly sticks to giving its customers headphones. Wireless charging technology is here, especially with Samsung devices, and it is time they start coming free in the box too. Flagship prices deserve flagship accessories. The Nexus 6P handily beat the Note5 and S6 in reviews this year, but costs over $200 less which means they have money in the mark-up to give us more. The Nexus 6P even came with USB Type-C which is better than micro USB in every way.
Set up hardware repair centers
Without a doubt, Apple kicks every other manufacturer’s bum when it comes to customer service. Apple retail stores are more than just sales centers. Educational and tutorial classes are offered, and a repair center is there in the store to fix broken screens and bad batteries. It’s one of the main reasons why Apple keeps its customers happy, because they don’t have to be without a phone and can have it fixed within minutes.
Samsung already has stores within Best Buy stores so all it needs to do is invest a little more into taking care of its customers. I have heard way too times why people switched from their Samsung device to an iPhone because there were too many problems that they didn’t know how to fix. As an Android enthusiast, I know if these people had access to experts like Apple offers, their problems could be fixed in minutes too. And that would bring customers back.
Mentality Shift
If Samsung can switch its mentality to, “what can I give to the customer” instead of “what can I take”, all of these changes will come naturally. Arguably, the Samsung Galaxy S3 was its best Samsung phone ever. Since then most of its phones have been great, but they are loaded with issues. Galaxies run well for about a year and then after that you need to upgrade your device. The S3 on the other hand lasted well over two years for many, and that quality stemmed from a mentality of trying to give the customers what they want versus how much profit can be made.
Android enthusiasts are smart enough to see past the all glass and metal build, and want Samsung to go beyond and think harder. Kill Touchwiz and reinvent the overlay on Android. Give headphones, wireless chargers, replaceable batteries and expandable memory. When the Galaxy phones cost so much that you can only afford to replace them once every two years, those types of things matter. And spend a little more to improve customer service which is a must have in today’s day and age.
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The Android Apple Music App: Good looking, but like the iPhone lacks features and value (App Review)
Apple is notorious for locking down its software and ecosystem by keeping things all to themselves. Apple doesn’t readily share its software and for the most part and has only released three apps into the Google Play Store, one of which is a very poorly two star rated Move to iOS app. A change occurred last year when Apple decided to release its music app, in beta form, to Android users where it offered a free 90-day subscription.
Naturally being a huge fan of music, and intrigued by Apple joining Android, I decided to give the Apple Music app a try. And for the last month I’ve realized the app is representative of what an iPhone is – good looking, over-priced, and definitely lacking in features.
Description
Apple Music was released to the Google Play Store in November of 2015. Apple has decided to call it a beta release, seemingly as an excuse to make up for its shortcomings on Android devices. At $9.99 Apple Music is identically priced to Google Play Music, but offers a smaller library at 30 million songs to Google’s 35 million.
Google and Apple both released Family Subscription plans last year, where you can pay just $14.99 for unlimited music streaming and downloading for a household of six. Pathetically, if you do subscribe to Apple Music on Android and want to join as a family, you’ll need to a Mac OS computer or iOS device.
Apple Music description from the Google Play Store
In order to use the Apple Music App, you will need to create an Apple ID just to get started. The app will not let you past the sign in page to access free music without going through the painstaking process of dropping in your credit card information just for a free trial. You will need to give your full address, credit card information and phone number just to be able to listen to music. And you cannot use other payment services like your Google Wallet or Paypal. Just to start using the app is a painful process.
Just like the iOS app, Apple Music for Android is full of musical recommendations, human-curated playlists and radio. You can create your own playlists and access music you’ve purchased through iTunes on the My Music page. You can download songs, playlists and full albums for offline listening when you don’t have a connection. The Connect tab lets you follow your favorite artists and see photos, songs and other updates they share.
Like other music streaming apps, Apple Music does have human-curated playlists and radio stations. And like other subscription based services, you are free to create your own playlists and download music for off-line use.
Usage
I am a subscriber to TIDAL which offers true HiFi audio that streams at much higher bit-rates than anything else available. The main downside to TIDAL is its much smaller library of music.
I’m also a subscriber to Google Play Music which offers a family plan that doesn’t require an iOS device, includes a free subscription to YouTube Red and allows me access to over 35 million songs. Being a subscriber to both of these services gives me a good foundation for what a good music streaming app should be.
When I first installed the Apple Music app on my Android device, I was hoping to get started by just downloading the app. I was annoyed that I had to go through the entire sign-up process – luckily I had an Apple ID from my iPhone days, but I still had to type in all of my information again like my address and credit card information. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just login with my Apple ID and get going. The sign process is downright cumbersome.
Moving past the sign-up process and getting into the app was a pleasant experience. Apple Music, while being a tad busy looking, is still really good looking. The images it uses are very clear and the layout looks great.
Once I started to use the app I noticed that the app severely lagged at times when trying to load my downloaded playlists. It didn’t do it all of the time, but you can definitely tell Apple Music for Android is still in beta form. I experienced app crashes too – I gave the app a spin on my Nexus 6P, Note5 and LG V10 so there would be no performance issues blamed on hardware. I was also very disappointed to learn that I could not stream music to my Chromecasts I have setup on my TV and home stereo system.
A feature that I am a huge fan of on all mobile devices is the ability to use voice control, especially while driving or when cooking. Voice control is an absolute must have feature. Apple Music for Android is missing any voice control or the ability to even search the library with voice commands. You can’t even use Google’s voice recognition system in the Apple Music app which is mind boggling.
When it came to music, I could select and listen to most songs that I already have on my other subscription services. In that sense, Apple Music performed as described where it at least delivered music to my smartphone.
Other than the superficial aspect of the app, Apple Music failed to win me over in anyway. Instead it just validated what I think of the Apple iPhone – it looks great, does a “good enough” job, lacks features, and is highly over-priced.
What I liked
- The look and layout of the app
What I didn’t like
- Sign up process
- Smaller library than Google Play Music
- No integration to the Chromecast
- Lack of HiFi audio
- Inability to install on Nexus 9
- App slowness and crashes
- Lack of music videos
Summary
Apple Music for Android is a pathetic attempt by Apple for sharing its software with Android. It lacks features, is highly over priced for what you get, and offers no additional features over Google Play Music or Spotify. You don’t even get music videos with a full subscription to Apple Music, which is a feature found on other music streaming services. Apple’s music app is so bad it almost seems like it was intended to be that way as an insult to Android users. I honestly hope Apple sticks to keeping its software to themselves and staying within its own ecosystem if its going to give us inadequate attempts like Apple Music.
For now, I will be cancelling my subscription before Apple charges me $9.99. I do not recommend the Apple Music app.
Google Play Store – LINK
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AIVAnet 