Microsoft Arrow Launcher out of beta and into the Google Play Store
I happen to be a fan of what Microsoft has been putting up in the Google Play Store. This is because they are obviously not trying to imitate what is done in their own platforms, and these apps actually happen to offer unique abilities to Android users (unlike what Apple has been doing). Today the Redmond computer giant introduces a new app that some of you may actually be familiar with – Arrow Launcher.
I checked out Arrow Launcher myself back when the beta was made available, in July. The launcher is optimized for the Android experience, but it is unlike vanilla Android… or most other third-party launchers, for that matter.
The whole point of Microsoft’s customized UI is that it tries to offer a smarter experience that adapts to your own usage habits. It gets rid of all the extra fluff and tries to put all your information front and center. You will notice it really has no home screen. The UI consists of three sections: People, Apps and Notes & Reminders.
The People section unites your contacts and messaging services, so all your recent numbers, messages and email addresses will be readily available here. You can also dial your own digits or find people.
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I would say the Apps section is actually among the most interesting, as it puts together all the apps that really matter in a single place. You may not like it if you prefer your neat, alphabetically organized apps, though. And all the way to the right you can easily find a simple note and reminder section for easy task jotting.
The app was a bit less polished back when I experienced it, though. Other features include widgets, page rearrangement, a customizable dock, icon pack support and more. Some of these were already there, while others have been added in.
Want to give Arrow Launcher a try? Just go over to the Google Play Store and get installing. It’s also a free application, so you have nothing to lose.
Project Loon wants to encircle the globe in 2016
Google’s Project Loon has big plans for 2016, including its first round-the-world coverage. Its vice president, Mike Cassidy, told the BBC that the team is hoping to launch 300-plus balloons next year to “make a continuous string around the world.” The idea is to make sure that there’s always at least one balloon covering a particular area — when one drifts away, another immediately takes its place. If the team successfully deploys its first continuous string, which will cover the Southern Hemisphere, it plans to start taking its first beta commercial customers. While this particular goal depends on whether things go well for the team in the near future, Project Loon’s partnership with Indonesian providers is already a done deal.
Source: Project Loon (Google+), BBC
Monopoly Here & Now and Yahtzee Blitz games get friendly with Chromecast
Your Chromecast adventures just got a bit more interesting and social. Hasbro has added Cast support to a couple of its popular games – Monopoly Here & Now and Yahtzee Blitz.
We know what many of you are wondering. Games? On the Chromecast? It may be hard to imagine, but Google’s HDMI dongle does much more than stream video and audio. It is a great presentation tool for slide shows, and it also happens to be a bit of a mobile console for basic games.
Hasbro, the all-time popular toy maker, seems to be great at keeping up with the times, something we must give them props for. Monopoly and Yahtzee join Catch Phrase, a game which has already received Chromecast support. And the cool part is you won’t be playing alone. Both Monopoly and Yahtzee support up to 4 players. The only requirements are they all have to have the game downloaded to their devices and be connected to the same Chromecast network.
I can assume both classic board games will receive a nice welcome hug by social players. Modern mobile titles are great, but they can lack that social interaction that only physical games like Monopoly and Yahtzee could accomplish in the good old days. Now we can have the modern versions in our phones and all play using the same screen!
The best part is both are free, so why don’t you download them and get ready for your next home party? You might as well give them a try.
Download Monopoly Here & Now from the Google Play Store
Download Yahtzee from the Google Play Store
HTC One A9 versus Google Nexus 5X
Both the HTC One A9 and Google’s Nexus 5X, made by LG, feature high-end specifications in a compact size at a price that’s relatively affordable. The Nexus 5X stirred up lots of hype this year given how great the original Nexus 5 was. The One A9 brings a new taste of design and looks to put the company back on track after a devastating year.
Let’s see how the two devices stack up.
Design
Both the Nexus 5X and One A9 come in slim, lightweight packages each with unique design cues that keep the cost low. The Nexus 5X features a plastic body that wraps around the edge of the display. It’s soft to the touch and comes in a variety of color options such as white, black and mint. It measures in at 147 x 72.6 x 7.9mm and weighs only 136 grams. Google says its super compact body both looks and feels good due to its high screen-to-body ratio. On the front you’ll find a speaker grill with an LED indicator along the bottom of the display and another for taking calls at the top. On the sides lie the power and volume controls as well as the SIM card tray. On the rear you’ll find Google’s new super fast fingerprint scanner with the company’s Nexus logo as well as LG’s symbol just below it.
The One A9 features a design that’s very much unlike that of the Nexus 5X, but similar in size. Its display measures a slightly smaller 5 inches with its overall body measuring 145.75 x 70.8 x 7.26mm and weighing in at 143g. The One A9 take a very different approach when it comes to build materials. The handset is made of metal and has a design similar to that of Apple’s newest iPhone series. However, HTC thought is was better to place the camera and flash in the upper middle of the rear side rather than the corner. You’ll find a rare physical home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner on the front with HTC’s branding just above it. That same company logo is stamped on the back of the One A9. The right side offers power and volume buttons while the SIM card tray and micro-SD card slot can be found on the left side.
Winner: HTC One A9
Display
The display on both handsets are hard to decipher, especially on paper. Both include full-HD displays, HTC’s having Super AMOLED technology and Google’s being an IPS LCD panel. The One A9 will be slightly more pixel dense due to its smaller display size, coming in at 5-inches while the Nexus 5X measures 5.2 inches. Both aren’t the best out there but are doable for the average user. You’ll also get the benefit of having a less power-hungry display than much of the high-end market. Which means more battery life for you!
Another difference here is that HTC’s One A9 is covered with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4 while Google’s Nexus 5X has Gorilla Glass 3. However, the difference is hard to notice during average day-to-day activities.
Winner: HTC One A9
Hardware
On the hardware front, HTC and Google’s phones each have their own advantages. The Nexus 5X sports Snapdragon 808 processor that is slightly faster than the Snapdragon 617 in the One A9. Neither is bad, but it can become more noticeable over time. If you decide to pick up the 32GB One A9 variant, it’ll have an additional gigabyte of RAM making for a better multitasking experience. On the other hand, the Adreno 405 that comes on the HTC One A9 can’t match the Adreno 418 present on the Nexus 5X. This gives the One A9 the slight advantage when it comes to gaming.
With mobile payments on the rise, you’ll be glad to know that both handsets include built-in fingerprint scanners. The only difference here being the location of it. The Nexus 5X keeps the scanner on the rear side and the One A9 has it built into the home button. Each handset starts at 16GB of internal storage space and can also be purchased with 32GB of space for an extra cost. Unlike that of the Nexus 5X, the One A9 can be expanded via its built-in micro-SD card slot for an added 2TB of storage.
The Nexus 5X fights back with its USB type-C port for reversibility and faster charging capabilities. But this is not something HTC falls short on. The company has included support for Quick Charge 2.0 with the capability of upgrading to 3.0 once available. The only problem here is that you’ll need a specific adapter. It should also be noted that the One A9 leaves out Bluetooth 4.2 compatibility and doesn’t come with the included Barometer sensor that the Nexus 5X does.
Winner: Nexus 5X
Software
Both handsets run Google’s latest software version, Android 6.0. It offers a refined experience, better battery consumption, less bugs, faster speeds and some new nifty tools. If you want a stock Android experience, go with the Nexus 5X, if you want some extra features, go with the One A9.
When it comes to updates, Nexus 5X owners will be among the first to get their hands on the latest and greatest. Unfortunately, One A9 users will have to suffer a longer wait. So what you want comes down to personal preference.
Winner: It comes down to preference.
Camera
Now le’ts talk about cameras. Each has a 13MP rear-facing camera but the One A9 supports a slightly higher resolution front-facing camera. The One A9 boosts a 5MP snapper while the Nexus 5X includes a 4MP one. However, as most of you know, megapixels aren’t everything. Unfortunately the One A9 is yet to be tested so we can’t have a direct comparison here. Both are alike on paper with an F2.0 lens and an included LED flash. However the Nexus 5X goes a bit beyond and includes a larger 1.55μm pixel size for better low-light photography and more stabilized shots and videos. The Nexus 5X also supports slow motion video at 120fps and can shoot in 4k resolution at 30 fps. HTC plays it safe with its included Optical Image Stabilization and a new sapphire crystal surface that covers the lens from being damaged. The One A9 also brings more manual controls with its application and includes a new hyperlapse feature that Google’s camera app fails to supply. But the bottom line is, the camera has been an area where HTC is known to struggle and if camera quality is most important to you, the Nexus 5X is a safer bet.
Winner: Nexus 5X
Battery
While battery can mean a lot less on paper than real live tests, here’s what I’ve picked up. The Nexus 5X provides a larger capacity at 2,700mAh over the One A9’s smaller 2,150mAh capacity. Both are sealed meaning you can’t replace them with a spare. With both handsets, users will get Google’s doze feature that debuted with the Marshmallow update which shuts down background apps and cuts back performance when the device notices it has been sitting for a while. As said in the previous section, each supports their own methods of fast charging to keep your device up and running with a simple plug-in. Until further tests are conducted, it’s hard to say which is the better of the two in terms of battery stamina, but one can expect to see similar results with either or.
Score: Draw
Availability and Price
The One A9 is the newer of the two and is currently up for pre-order. HTC is yet to announce an official release date but stated November will be a likely launch time. The One A9 will be carried by AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint in the United States and will operate on Verizon if unlocked. However, Verizon will not carry the handset meaning you’ll have to fetch it from somewhere else. For the 32GB/3GB option of the One A9, buyers will pay $399 unlocked without a contract. Users can also wait and pay with installment plans or a contract if they so choose. Color options will vary on one’s location.
The Nexus 5X just became available in the states and will be coming to more countries shortly. It costs $379 for 16GB of storage and $429 for 32GB. The handset comes unlocked with support for all four major U.S. carriers. At this time, it can only be purchased through the Google Store.
Closing
Each handset has their pros and cons. Neither is perfect and both aren’t the hottest out there. But all it takes is the right person to make the perfect buy. The Nexus 5X is a great option for those wanting a compact device with a clean experience that doesn’t break the bank. I’m looking at you Nexus 6P. The One A9 is a great choice for those looking to spend a reasonable amount on a phone that’s reliable, supports the latest software, and has a premium design. What’s better comes down to your personal preference. Neither is significantly better than the other.
Feel free to let us know what feature led to your decision and why in the comments down below.
Come comment on this article: HTC One A9 versus Google Nexus 5X
Google names Oklahoma City, Tampa, and Jacksonville as potential Fiber locations
Google Fiber even in its limited availability is seeing some serious success. And now, Google is looking at expanding its Fiber service in three more cities: Tampa, Florida; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Jacksonville, Florida.
Keep in mind that Google is in the planning stages for these three locations, which by no means guarantees that it will be a Fiber location. It’s a long and lengthy process where the search giant works with local leaders to create detailed reports of the metro areas. As Google points out in its blog post, building a new Fiber network is no small feat. If the process is successful, these three cities will join 15 other metro areas where Google Fiber is available.
Google Fiber, at least right now, isn’t meant to be a rapid expanding service. Right now, the goal of Google Fiber seems to be to encourage Internet providers to move towards offering a similar service of the same speeds. And if Google were to do a major Fiber rollout, well, I’m certain many of us wouldn’t mind jumping ship from Comcast or Time Warner.
source: Google
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Google Play Games enables recording and sharing of game action
I remember a time in the past when it was frowned upon to post videos of gaming action forcing users to find a variety of workarounds. Things have changed though and now over 144 billion minutes of live game streams and recording activity are viewed on YouTube each month. Google appears to have figured out that instead of fighting against the current of mainstream culture, they should take advantage of it and hop on board. Today they announced a new feature for the Google Play Games app that will enable users to record and share gaming moments along with commentary.
In the games app, users will find a new record button is available to them. Once launched, users can select from either 720p or 480p recording. They can also choose to just record what is being shown on the screen, or utilize their front-facing camera and device microphone to add commentary. When finished recording, you can trim up the video and then directly upload it to YouTube.
Google says the ability to record gameplay will be rolling out to U.S. and U.K. customers over the next few days and will be expanded to other countries and markets over time.
Let us know in the comments what game you want to record and share with this new feature.
source: Android
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Android can record your mobile gaming sessions
Google doesn’t want YouTube Gaming to be populated solely with videos from consoles and PCs. It’s rolling out a feature in the Google Play Games app that lets you record 480p or 720p footage from any Android game that supports the Google Play framework. All you do is pick the game from the GPG app and start capturing — when you’re done, you can edit the clip before sending it YouTube’s way. You can have it record your on-camera reactions, too, if pure gameplay isn’t entertaining enough. Only US and UK gamers will have access to recording in the next few days, but more countries are coming “soon after.”
Open this link as a different user with Chrome Canary’s new feature
Switching between Chrome browser profiles is easy. But, like all trivial internet tasks, it can somehow become a chore. Or, worse, all too easily forgotten about. Especially if you’re just about to open a link you don’t want popping up in, say, your corporate browsing history. An update to Google’s testbed Chrome Canary browser lets you open links as any user logged in, not just the one you’re currently using. Right click, “Open Link as…” and your sneaky peek at that bacon fat popcorn recipe, won’t show up in your vegan partner’s browser history (if you’re sharing a laptop).
Source: François Beaufort (Google Plus)
Google is giving $25 refunds for delayed Nexus 6P shipments
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Many of you will be eagerly waiting for your Nexus 6P to arrive, but it’s been reported that are some delays which Google is apologizing for in an email. That’s not particularly unheard of, but what is unheard of is Google refunding $25 to some people due to these delayed Nexus 6P shipments, deducted when the phone is shipped. It appears that apart from having ordered a Nexus 6P and have an affected order, you’ll also need to have a specific configuration of the device – presumably these are either the more popular or more expensive devices. Here’s the email that some people have been receiving:
Hello there —
Thank you for buying a Nexus 6P from the Google Store. We’re really excited about this phone and we hope you are too. But we have some not-so-great news: It’s going to take a little longer to get the 6P to you than we would have liked. We’re working hard to meet the strong demand we’re seeing for the color and memory size you ordered, and we promise it will be worth it! Rest assured that orders will still be shipped in the order that they were received.
As of now, we’re expecting to deliver your 6P order between 11/7/2015 and 11/14/2015, and we’ll send you a notification as soon as it goes out the door. As a courtesy, we’ll give you a $25 refund on your purchase, which we’ll process soon after your phone ships.
We know that waiting a bit longer can be inconvenient, though remember we won’t charge you until your order ships. We also want to make sure you’re aware that you can cancel your order. We’d hate to see you go, but if you need to, just follow the instructions here.
We apologize for this news, and thank you again for your order.
Sincerely,
The Google Store Team
It’s not exactly a huge delay – it looks like about just over a week extra – but it’s a nice gesture by Google nonetheless. Have you been affected by these delayed Nexus 6P shipments? Let us know your story in the comments below.
Source: Phandroid
The post Google is giving $25 refunds for delayed Nexus 6P shipments appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google is issuing a $25 refund to customers who are affected by the Nexus 6P shipping delay
It looks like Google is struggling to keep up with the demand for its much sought-after Nexus 6P as the search engine giant is in the process of sending out emails to an undisclosed number of customers informing them that their orders have been delayed, and won’t be leaving the warehouse for another 1-2 weeks.
By way of compensation, Google is giving customers who pre-ordered a handset and are affected by the delay a $25 refund, which will be credited back to their card of payment shortly after the phone ships.
A copy of the email Google is sending out can be seen below:
Thank you for buying a Nexus 6P from the Google Store. We’re really excited about this phone and we hope you are too. But we have some not-so-great news: It’s going to take a little longer to get the 6P to you than we would have liked. We’re working hard to meet the strong demand we ’re seeing for the color and memory size you ordered, and we promise it will be worth it! Rest assured that orders will still be shipped in the order that they were received.
As of now, we’re expecting to deliver your 6P order between 11/7/2015 and 11/14/2015, and we’ll send you a notification as soon as it goes out the door. As a courtesy, we’ll give you a $25 refund on your purchase, which we’ll process soon after your phone ships.
We know that waiting a bit longer can be inconvenient, though remember we won’t charge you until your order ships. We also want to make sure you’re aware that you can cancel your order. We’d hate to see you go, but if you need to, just follow the instructions here.
We apologize for this news, and thank you again for your order.
Sincerely, The Google Store Team
Image: Scn_syphon/Flickr
Come comment on this article: Google is issuing a $25 refund to customers who are affected by the Nexus 6P shipping delay
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