Planning on picking up a Chromecast? Act fast to bag a free $20 Google Play credit voucher
If you’ve been contemplating whether or not to pick up the second-generation Chromecast, Google has a deal that might just make your mind up. Consumers who purchase the thumb-sized HDMI dongle between now and January 2, 2016, will receive a complimentary Google Play voucher worth $20.
After the credit has been applied to the customer’s account, they will be able to purchase applications, games, movies, books, music, TV shows and magazines, which can be all downloaded directly from the Play Store and saved on their Android device for viewing at any time.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: Planning on picking up a Chromecast? Act fast to bag a free $20 Google Play credit voucher
Check out these 5 sub $200 Lollipop smartphone deals
I recently wrote about why unlocked Android smartphones will rule the market in 2016. It doesn’t take much to make a high-powered smartphone these days. There are many up and coming manufacturers pushing on companies like Samsung and Qualcomm to get more creative and competitive. Huawei proved to Google and Android fans that it knows how to make devices that can compete with the best. There’s a long list of manufacturers similar to Huawei waiting to make their mark on the U.S. smartphone market.
$600 is no longer needed to buy a fantastic smartphone and customers are finally starting to take notice.
Here are five incredible unlocked Android Lollipop smartphones on sale for $200 or less. All devices are tax free and come with free shipping. All of these devices come contract free, and can be used on local networks such as AT&T and T-Mobile. Check them out and see for yourself how incredible these deals are.
OUKITEL K6000 – $119.00 LINK
5.5 inch 4G Phablet Android 5.1 MTK6735 64bit Quad Core 1.0GHz 2RB RAM 16GB ROM 13.0MP + 5.0MP OTG 2.5D Screen
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1280 x 720 HD Screen
CPU: MTK6735 64bit Quad Core 1.0GHz
GPU: Mali-T720
System: Android 5.1
RAM + ROM: 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM
Camera: Back camera 8.0MP ( Interpolation to 13.0MP ) with flashlight and auto focus + front camera 2.0MP ( Interpolation to 5.0MP )
Battery: 6000mAh large capacity built-in battery
Reverse charging: Can charge other devices at the same time by the dedicated line
Sensor: Gravity sensor, Proximity sensor, Light sensor
Bluetooth: 4.0
Features: GPS, GPRS, OTG
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, Dual Micro SIM
Network:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 900/2100MHz
4G：FDD-LTE 800/1800/2100/2600MHz
Elephone P8000 – $154.99 LINK
Display: 5.5 inch IPS
CPU: MTK6753 64bit Octa Core, 1.3GHz
System: Android 5.1
RAM + ROM: 3GB RAM + 16GB ROM
Camera: 5.0MP front camera + 13.0MP back camera
Bluetooth: 4.0
GPS: GPS, A-GPS
Features: Fingerprint ID
Battery: 4165mAh
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, dual micro SIM
Network:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800MHz
3G: WCDMA 900/2100MHz
4G: LTE 800/1800/2600MHz
DOOGEE F5 – $139.99 LINK
Android 5.1 5.5 inch 4G Phablet FHD IPS OGS Screen MTK6753 64bit Octa Core 3GB RAM 16GB ROM
Display: 5.5 inch FHD 1920×1080 IPS OGS Screen
CPU: MTK6753 64bit Octa Core
System: Android 5.1
RAM + ROM:3GB RAM + 16GB ROM
Camera: Samsung-3M2 13.0 MP (SW16.0MP) rear camera + PIP mode OV5.0MP(SW8.0MP) front camera
Bluetooth: 4.0
GPS: GPS, A-GPS
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, dual micro SIM
Network:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 900/2100MHz
4G: FDD-LTE 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz
LEAGOO Elite 1 – $179.99 LINK
Android 5.1 5.0 inch 4G Smartphone Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Screen MTK6753 64bit Octa Core 3GB RAM 32GB ROM 13MP + 16MP Cameras OTA HotKnot Fingerprint ID
Display: 5.0 inch FHD Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Screen
CPU: MTK6753 64bit Octa Core,1.3GHz
System: Android 5.1
RAM + ROM:3GB RAM + 32GB ROM
Camera: 8.0MP (Interpolation To 13.0MP) front camera + 13.0MP (Interpolation To 16.0MP) Sony-IMX214 with AF
Bluetooth: 4.0
GPS: Yes
OTA: Yes
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, dual micro SIM
Network:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 900/2100MHz
4G: FDD-LTE 800/1800/2100/2600MHz
XIAOMI REDMI Note 3 – $189.53 LINK
The Redmi Note 3 runs the ultra-powerfulHelio X10, has a full metal body, fingerprint sensor and massive 4000mAh battery.
The Redmi Note 3’s fingerprint sensor unlocks in just 0.3s.
Display: 5.5 inch, 1920×1080 Pixel Screen with 403 PPI
CPU: Helio X10 64bit Octa Core 2.0GHz
GPU: PowerVR G6200
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM
Camera: 5.0MP with f/2.0 aperture front camera + 13.0MP with 78 degree wide-angle, f/2.2 aperture back camera
Sensor: Light sensor, G-sensor, Proximity sensor, Hall Sensor
Feature: GPS/ A-GPS / Glonass / Beidou
Bluetooth: 4.1
SIM Card: Dual SIM dual standby, Dual Micro SIM
Network:
2G: GSM 900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
4G: FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz
Additional Christmas deals can be found here on a massive selection of gadgets.
The post Check out these 5 sub $200 Lollipop smartphone deals appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Now on Tap update helps you take Android screenshots
To take a screenshot on an Android phone so far, you’ve typically had to press an awkward button combo — or, worse, use a palm gesture. It’s getting much easier, though. Google is pushing a Google search app update for Android that lets Marshmallow users take screenshots using Now on Tap. All you do is invoke Now on Tap and hit a share button to send it to your app of choice. This isn’t a straightforward replacement for the hardware command, since it doesn’t save images right away (you need to choose a destination first) and has a long delay. However, it’s both easier to use and gets rid of the usual notifications mess. If you’ve ever wanted to show off your home screen or a new app without jumping through hoops, you’ll want to upgrade as soon as you can.
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play
Google rolls out another update to the Google+ web preview
When Google announced they were opening a preview version of the next overhaul to their Google+ social media platform, they quickly found themselves inundated with negative feedback concerning both the design and the lack of features. Despite the criticism, the developers have continued to work on improving the new version. Their latest efforts were released on Friday.
The updates to the web preview include the following changes:
- Links to categories in Communities now appear in the side panel so users can quickly navigate to them;
- Animated GIFs will now auto-play, although a setting was added to turn that on or off depending on the user’s preference;
- Posts in Collections can now be pinned to the top;
- The notification indicator has been changed to a white circle with black text instead of the red circle with white text that was getting lost in the top bar;
- A new pop-up warning will appear if a user starts to navigate away from a page while a new post is still being drafted to verify whether they want to discard changes.
Google staff indicated the changes were based on feedback they have been receiving. In some cases the feedback was unanimous, like with the display of Community categories. Others, like auto-play of GIFs, took some creative problem-solving to balance competing requests from users.
Google encourages users who check out the web preview to continue to make use of the Send Feedback menu item to help the developers continue to improve Google+.
source: Luke Wroblewski (Google+)
Come comment on this article: Google rolls out another update to the Google+ web preview
Google’s Pichai enters the fray over immigration policy
In recent weeks several sources have been stoking the flames of intolerance on the coat tails of recent terrorist incidents. Jumping into this fray is Google CEO Sundar Pichai who penned an open message on Medium calling on people to “not let fear defeat our values.”
The values that Pichai believes are being threatened include tolerance and open-mindedness, strengths that he says are rooted in America’s history of being a country of immigrants.
Pichai also extols the idea of America being a “land of opportunity.” He demonstrates this by recounting his own personal history of coming to the U.S. from India 22 years ago. Upon arriving, he was able to attend school, work hard and ended up building a life here.
Pichai indicated in his post that he was hesitant about posting his message as it seems any attempts at discussion merely fan the flames. Do you think his message was a good move?
source: Sundar Pichai (Medium)
Come comment on this article: Google’s Pichai enters the fray over immigration policy
ICYMI: Smartphone picture printer, AR app for all and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: A case designed to print the pictures that normally just stay on your smartphone is out, just in time for Christmas. Researchers at MIT are doing their best to connect all the smart appliances and gadgets within your home for easy control with a clever app called Reality Editor. And Tokyo’s police are forming an anti-drone squad that will use large UAVs with nets to capture smaller drones.
If you’re catching up on the week’s headlines, definitely don’t miss the research about using periods over text message.
If you see any interesting science or tech videos, please share with us! Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag to @mskerryd.
Recommended Reading: The story of ‘The Father of Video Games’
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you’ll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read.
How a WWII Refugee Became the Father of Video Games
Arthur Molella, Slate
If you’ve read up on video game history, you know that Ralph Baer widely regarded as “The Father of Video Games.” What you may not know is Baer was a World War II refugee who came to the US in 1938. He fled persecution with his family before bringing games to our television screens decades later.
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Google and Facebook Race to Solve the Ancient Game of Go With AI Image and pattern recognition isn’t the only thing AI is good at. |
Multiplayer-Only Games Shouldn’t Cost $60 If you don’t think multiplayer-only games aren’t worth the same as their campaign-based counterparts, you’re not a lone. |
[Image credit: Kris Connor/ Getty Images]
iOS and Android are both great. Here are some reasons to consider switching to Android.
I know I am going to get my fair share of hate emails and comments from this post, but I beg you try to keep an open mind when reading through this article. I understand that the whole Apple iOS versus Google Android debate is a heated topic for many, and expect comments on both sides of the fence. Let’s try to keep the comments civil.
I am going to do my best to explain why Android is a great alternative to iOS and try to avoid the whole Android is better than iOS debate as best as I can. I think both platforms are successful and by no means are Google or Apple struggling for cash. Monetarily you can say both are pretty darn successful. Apple is worth more money based on market value, but Google has more market share. I know that I will have a decent amount of bias towards Android, since I do use Android as my primary platform, and I also write for a website called AndroidGuys.
But it is in my nature to look at all things with an open mind: I am a scientist at a biotech in San Diego, and it is my job to investigate and offer answers with actual information to back it up. Any good scientist uses the Scientific Method to ask questions, investigate, acquire knowledge, and to use evidence to develop conclusions based on results. Once a conclusion is developed it is my job to test it and to prove it.
In my immediate family we are split 50/50 in what mobile software we use. My father uses an iPhone 6S+ and my older brother uses an iPhone 6 at my recommendation. Both of them started with the Apple iPhone, and are the type who prefer to stick with what works and to stay within one ecosystem. iPhone’s have great cameras, software, design, build, customer support and more. Just because I use Android doesn’t mean I force it on my own family.
My mother uses a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, and I use a a wide variety of Android devices like the Nexus 6P, 5X, Asus Zenfone 2 and the Doogee F5. My older sister uses an iPhone 5S, and she also uses an Android LG G2 too. So even in my own family, we are split 50/50 on what platform we use.
My devices
So let’s put the debate of what is better behind us. Let’s just take a look at Android and why it is a good alternative to iOS.
Let’s start with the most important factor: Price
iPhone 6S 4.7″ 16GB – $649
iPhone 6S+ 5.5″ 16GB – $749
Whether you buy an iPhone on a 0% financing plan, two-year contract, or in full, you’re going to pay a heck of a lot of money. Because Apple is the only company who makes the iPhone, the price stays relatively unchanged throughout the course of its one-year life cycle. Apple owns a monopoly on its products and can charge accordingly. It’s quite rare to see any technological device hold its value so well, but the iPhone does it regardless. And it even has incredible resale value. Apple controls its mobile market share by not making iOS accessible to other manufacturers.
Samsung Galaxy S6 5.1″ 32GB – $679.99
Samsung Galaxy Note 5.7″ 32GB – $699.99
Nexus 6P 5.7″ 32GB – $499.99
Nexus 5X 5.2″ 16GB – $379.99
There are dozens of Android device manufacturers. There are so many that I can’t even find an accurate count on the web. I listed the biggest Android device manufacturer in Samsung, and I also listed Google’s pure Android Nexus devices. Android phones can be expensive too. It’s difficult to do a direct comparison to iPhones, because the Samsung S6 line has been out since the Spring, while the iPhone 6S and Note 5 line have only been out since the Fall. Internal hardware varies greatly from device to device too.
The prices for the Galaxy line devices are clearly almost identical to the iPhone, with the Galaxy devices offering more base storage than the iPhone. Google’s own Nexus devices are $180-300 cheaper than the iPhone which means you can save money with pure Android devices. On top of the initial MSRP savings, Android prices drop much faster, but at the same time have terrible resale value. Overall, the upfront fees can be much cheaper when buying an Android device.
Letv 1s 5.5″ 32GB – $238
Nuu Mobile Z8 5.5″ 16GB – $249.99
Nu Mobile Z8
Who? Who the heck is Letv and Nuu Mobile? I know you have heard of Motorola, but the Letv 1s and the Nuu Mobile Z8 are example devices that come unlocked with fantastic features. They also run the same Android software that the more expensive devices like the Note 5 and S line run. You haven’t heard of Letv because they are focused on the Chinese market.Nuu Mobile is a up and coming Android device manufacturer with a small budget and can’t afford to blast advertisements around the world.
And just because these devices are cheaper, doesn’t mean they lack in hardware.
Letv 1s
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Screen
CPU: MTK6795 64bit Octa Core 2.2GHz
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM
Camera: Dual Cameras, front camera 5.0MP camera, back camera 13.0MP
Nuu Mobile Z8 5.5″
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Screen
CPU: 1.7 GHz Octa-Core Processor, MediaTek MTK6752 64-bit
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM
Camera: Dual Cameras, front camera 8.0MP camera, back camera 13.0MP
Android software is easy to use, is secure, can be customized, and Google apps are loaded with features
Again, I’m not here to argue that Android is better than iOS. Both email, text, make phone calls, browse the web, play videos and music, and take pictures incredibly well. There is no arguing that both platforms do the basics with ease.
The iPhone just works. I know it does. But that doesn’t mean Android devices don’t work. Many of us, me included, got started with iOS. I bought the first iPhone on the day it was released and waited in line for every subsequent release until the iPhone 5. I made the switch to Android when I took the time to evaluate the software with an open mind. Android is as safe as iOS and iOS is as safe as Android. Both Apple and Google make security the top priority for their software. Don’t buy into all of the misinformation out there about one being safer than the other.
The other sad truth is no software is bug free. Both Android and iOS have their fair share of bugs which is the reason why they release updates.
Google Search
Just “Google” it. Google’s search tools are so powerful that many of us have swapped the word “search” for the company name Google. The dominance of Google search is so overwhelming that the name Google has become a verb. We don’t say just Apple it, Yahoo it, or Microsoft it. Many of us say just “Google” it because Google has become synonymous with searching and researching unknowns. It like calling tissue “Kleenex”, lip balm “Chapstick”, or cotton swap “Q-Tips”.
Google owns the market share when it comes to searching, and Google Search is native to Android devices making it a super powerful tool. Yes you can download Google Search software onto iOS devices, but there are benefits to being native. You can “Google” directly from any screen on an Android device, while it constantly keeps you up to date on weather, stock prices, news, parking location and more through Google Now.
Google Photos
Arguably the best feature about Google Photos is that you have unlimited storage for FREE. Once backed up, you can access your photos from anywhere you have an internet connection and a web browser. You no longer need to worry about saving your most precious memories on back-up hard drives with Google Photos.
Here are some other great features taken directly from the app landing page:
VISUAL SEARCH
Your photos are now searchable by the places and things that appear in them. Looking for that fish taco you ate in Hawaii? Just search “food in Hawaii” to find it – no tagging required.
FREE UP SPACE ON YOUR DEVICE
Never worry about running out of space on your phone again. In Settings, just tap “Free up device storage” – photos that are safely backed up will be removed from your device’s storage, but will still be available in Google Photos.
BRING PHOTOS TO LIFE
Enjoy automatically created montage movies, interactive stories, collages, animations, panoramas, and more from your photos. Or you can easily create them yourself – just tap +.
SHARED ALBUMS
Get everyone’s photos and videos in one place, across iOS, Android, and the web. Privately sharing all the photos you took – and getting the ones you didn’t – has never been easier.
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive
Google has its own answer for word processing, spreadsheet editing, presentation building, file storage and collaboration all for the price of nothing. Most of us learned how to use these tools using Microsoft Office, but Google created its own powerful tools and they are native to Android as well. Just like with Google Photos, all Google Docs are accessible from tablets to smartphones to desktops. And Google Docs is also compatible with Microsoft file types, while offering almost all of the same powerful features.
An alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides offers a great and free way to make presentations.
Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time.
Google Sheets is a web-based spreadsheet application that allows you to store and organize different types of information, much like Microsoft Excel.
Project Fi
Project Fi is Google’s answer to cellular service. It isn’t Google’s own network – they have partnered with providers to offer its own affordable plan. Only select Nexus devices(Nexus 6, 6P and 5X) can access Project Fi, but it is a strong reason to give consideration to Android. Project Fi is still very new so this reason is highly debatable. But here are some reasons to consider it:
Project Fi is a combination of Sprint and T-Mobile
Project Fi coverage map
What’s included in the Fi Basics?
What happens if you go over your data budget?
You can bring your own number to Fi
Like any other provider, you can simply transfer your number when you sign up.
Android Wear
Wearables are taking hold in the marke,t and Android is at the forefront. Yes, Apple has its own watch too, which is great in its own right, but there is much more selection with Android. Tag Heuer, Fossil, Asus, LG, Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei are some of the major manufacturers of Android Wear devices, and the list continues to grow. With Android Wear you can monitor your activity levels, open apps, search and text using just your voice, get notifications, see the time and more.
Android Wear watches feature always-on displays, so you’ll always see important info like time, calls, and alerts. Respond to messages right from your watch, even when your phone isn’t with you.
Works with your Android phone or iPhone
Android Wear requires a phone running Android 4.3+ or iOS 8.2+. Supported features may vary between platforms. Visit g.co/wearcheck on your Android phone or iPhone to see if it’s compatible.
Android Wear is native to Android and is a great reason to consider Google’s software as an option.
You should consider Android if you don’t use it already
No I don’t work for Google, even though sometimes I wish I did. Google employees get get free food and drinks just for showing up to work! I have been to the Google campus, and they even let guests eat and drink for free. I hope Google let’s me hangout at its campus again some day in the future. It truly is an experience I will never forget.
Instead, I work for a biotech and research neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia, and the like. We get free coffee and tea, but I am not complaining. Nothing is more gratifying to me than working to solve unmet medical needs.
It’s my job to look at problems objectively, to ask questions, to research and to develop conclusions based on evidence.
In no way am I arguing that Android is superior to iOS, or vice versa, but I am offering reasons why you should consider Android if you are not using it now. There are fantastic devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or the Nexus 6P that offer the latest and greatest hardware, or there are fantastic alternatives like the Letv 1s or Nuu Mobile Z8 which offer great hardware for budget conscience users.
The software is also incredible and better yet, the applications Google provides are completely free to use.
If you would like to learn more, head on over to Google.com. No you don’t have to switch to Android – there are plenty of great features on iOS too.
My favorite Android commercial.
The post iOS and Android are both great. Here are some reasons to consider switching to Android. appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Rumour suggests Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820 is coming in 2016
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While some of the companies Google has worked with have been quite vocal about how good their working relationship is with Google (ahem, LG and ASUS), others we know practically nothing about. The relationship that Google has struck up with Huawei appears to be strictly business after producing the wonderful Nexus 6P smartphone this year, however if new rumours are to be believed, Google might be coming back to Huawei for another Nexus smartphone next year – specifically, a Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820 processor.
The rumour originates from analyst Pan Jiutang, who was the first to suggest this year’s Huawei-manufactured Nexus 6P would have the Snapdragon 810 instead of the Snapdragon 820 – so we’re willing to at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Of course, it’s just a prediction at this point, but if it turns out to be true, it would really illustrate the power that Google has over Huawei – Huawei launched its own SoC this year, the Kirin 950, which has proven to be quite the powerhouse, so for Huawei to turn away from that would require some significant clout.
What do you think about a Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Rumour suggests Huawei Nexus with a Snapdragon 820 is coming in 2016 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google releases Pixel C Android 6.0.1 factory image
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In case you were wondering whether Google would be treating its new Pixel C tablet as it would one of its Nexus devices, wonder no longer. Google has today put up the Pixel C Android 6.0.1 factory image, joining the list of factory images that was released just a few days ago. Unusually, the Pixel C is codenamed “ryu”, which as far as I can tell isn’t a species of fish – Nexus devices (and even Android Wear devices) are generally codenamed with the name of a species of fish, but obviously the Pixel C must have been a different kind of beast.
I’m not even sure if anyone actually has the Pixel C in their hands (apart from media reviewers), but if you do and you want to try your hand at flashing the factory image, you’ll be able to download it from the Google Developers website here. Of course, the safer route would be the wait for the OTA update, which undoubtedly will start rolling out very shortly. And as a reminder, apart from the December security update, the main update in Android 6.0.1 has been the addition of new emoji.
What do you think about the Pixel C tablet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Google Developers via TalkAndroid
The post Google releases Pixel C Android 6.0.1 factory image appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
AIVAnet 